In each course syllabus and with each assignment, I endeavor to specify in detail my objectives and expectations. Here is a generalized summary for those who are interested.
In my courses students should become familiar with the problems, positions, and methodologies of the philosophers studied. They should also
In addition to introducing students to various philosophical thinkers, my courses are intended to help students enhance their critical reading and writing skills. They focus attention on inquiry and analysis; seek to develop the students’ abilities to adopt critical perspectives; and endeavor to connect the philosophical problems, positions and methodologies studied with the concerns and methodologies of other disciplines and our culture generally. The readings, lectures, papers, and exams are integrated in a manner intended to promote these objectives.become familiar with the interpretation texts;
enhance their ability to provide balanced exposition and examination of philosophical problems, positions, and methodologies; and
come to understand the philosophical activity of criticism of doctrines and things commonly taken for granted.
In my courses students are generally required to write several critical, analytical philosophy papers. A supplement entitled Writing Philosophy Papers is available on my web-site--it describes in detail what my expectations are as well as clarifying what critical, analytical or expository philosophy papers are like. In order to facilitate my goal of enhancing each student's ability to provide balanced exposition and examination of philosophical problems, positions, and methodologies, I provide detailed comments regarding the compositional, expository, and the critical elements of students' papers. In each course, I review the comments from earlier papers prior to reading later ones so that I can assess continuing progress and problems. Where students take multiple courses from me, I generally review my comments on papers from prior semesters prior to reading the first paper for additional courses so that I can more carefully assess their continuing progress and identify any continuing problems.
As students write papers for my courses (and, of course, while they are reading and thinking about the current readings, lectures, and discussions), I encourage them to endeavor to integrate the knowledge they have acquired in their other philosophy courses (both those taken with me, and those taken with my colleagues), and from the other courses they have taken outside the Department with the material they are currently studying in my courses. Part of what is involved in developing a critical perspective is the ability to integrate and inter-relate materials from a variety of sources, disciplines, and areas. In class (and outside of class) I am happy to attempt to answer questions which are related to such integrative attempts, and I am generally willing to seriously consider paper proposals which attempt this activity in lieu of one of the assigned topics in my courses.
In addition to writing such papers, students are generally required to write one or two in-class objective essay exams. They are designed to assess the students’ understanding of the philosophical theories, positions, topics, and methodologies studied. Sample study questions are distributed in advance of the exams so that students have an opportunity to organize their thoughts and integrate the readings and lectures around sample questions designed to indicate what they are expected to have mastered.
Syllabi from current and previous courses are available on my web-site.
Last revised: 12/29/2006.