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Spring 2008 Syllabus
Professor J. Christopher Maloney Lectures Weekly Optional Review Sessions Required Book: Philosophical Reflections on Mind, Matter and God, Second Edition. arranged by J. Christopher Maloney: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2003 or later). Required Number 2 Pencil: Every student should have a Number 2 pencil for examinations. Required Email: All students must establish a University of Arizona email account. Students should use only their University of Arizona email accounts when communicating by email with Professor Maloney and the Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA's). Content: This
General Education course introduces students to the philosophical conceptions of mind,
matter and God that have partially shaped the western intellectual tradition. Starting
with ancient Greek philosophers and concluding with selected figures in the 19th century,
we look to primary sources to frame our understanding of the issues in metaphysics and
epistemology that attract our attention. When we turn to the ancients we find in Plato and
Aristotle foundations for the two preeminent - and often competitive - intellectual
traditions in Western Philosophy. Prominent medieval thinkers show us how the Platonic and
Aristotelian conceptual schemes evolved and influenced Christian, Islamic and Judaic
thought of the middle ages. With early modern philosophers we see the initial articulation
of the questions and issues that have come to define current analyses of the cognitive,
material and theological realms. Although the required readings are culled from periods
prior to our own times, lectures are informed by contemporary considerations. All questions about grades should conveyed by email to Daniel Sanderman, who is the graduate teaching assistant responsible for managing grades. There will be three examinations, including the final examination, and up to 10 unannounced quizzes. All examinations and quizzes will be multiple choice and/or True/False. Students should be prepared to record their student numbers on their examinations. Questions on the examinations will generally reflect the topics covered by lectures, assigned readings and the study guides. The second and third (final) examinations will include only material covered since the prior examination. Each examination is worth 100 points. Quizzes are designed to encourage attendance and regular reading and study. Quiz questions may refer to the required reading material, study guides or recent lecture material. Students who take, but fail, a quiz will receive one half of the value of that quiz. Students who do not take a quiz will receive a 0 for that quiz unless they are excused by the Dean, Professor Maloney or Mr. Sanderman (see below). Students who have not been excused from a missed quiz cannot make it up. Each student's two lowest quiz scores are ignored in the computation of the student's final grade. Altogether the quizzes will be worth 100 points. Each quiz is worth ten points. A student's total quiz score for the semester will be equal to 100 multiplied by the percentage of possible quiz points earned by the student. For example: Suppose that during the semester 7 quizzes are administered and that Abelard's quiz scores are {9, 10, 0, 8, 10, 5, 10}. Abelard's two lowest scores, 0 and 5, are ignored; the sum of the remaining five quizzes is 47. Since seven quizzes were administered but two are discounted, the total possible quiz score for the semester for each student is 50 (i.e. 5x10). Abelard earned 47 out of 50 possible points, i.e. 94% of the possible points. Hence, his total quiz score for the semester is 100 x .94, i.e. 94 points. Notice that this policy on quizzes allows a student to miss two quizzes without penalty in order to accommodate the normal range of legitimate reasons - including medical reasons - for missing an occasional class. Students cannot make-up a missed quiz unless, within seven days of the date of the missed quiz, the students present Mr. Sanderman with a valid Dean's excuse or with documentation of a serious (e.g. medical) situation that prevented them from taking the quiz. Students who are excused must complete the missed quiz by conforming to arrangements specified by Mr. Sanderman. Under no circumstances may any student assist another in responding to or completing an examination or quiz. Violation of this policy may constitute a violation of the Arizona Code of Academic Integrity and result in serious sanctions. Since the examinations and quizzes respectively represent 300 and 100 points, the course as a whole is worth 400 points. Course grades are determined as follows:
Students should please notice that the above table specifies the exact break points for grades and that there will be no upward rounding of final grades. Extra Credit:
Conduct:
Attendance: Students are required to attend all lectures. Students who miss lectures will find it very difficult to succeed on the examinations and quizzes. Personal travel plans do not serve to excuse students from assignments. Because the class is so large, it is important that students to arrive and depart on time. Students should be seated and ready to begin before the start of class and remain until class is dismissed. Late arrivals and early departures are disruptive and prohibited. Trips to the restroom are included in this policy, aside from exceptional circumstances. Students with a confirmed medical condition necessitating late arrival or early departure should consult with Professor Maloney for a waiver of the arrival and departure policy. Students requiring accommodations arising from disabilities who are unable to conform to the attendance policy are not subject to the policy on late arrivals and early departures if they notify Professor Maloney in a timely manner. Students who arrive late or depart early must use only the center rear doors to the classroom, must identify themselves to a GTA and will be subject to deductions as specified in the table below.
Religious Holidays: All holidays or special events observed by organized religions will be honored for those students who show the relevant affiliation. Absences pre-approved by the Dean of Students will also be honored subject to the policy on quizzes. Special Needs: Students with special needs who are registered with the S.A.L.T. Center or the Disability Resource Center should submit appropriate documentation to Professor Maloney if they are requesting special accommodations. Students requiring accommodations arising from disabilities who are unable to conform to the attendance policy are not subject to the policy on late arrivals and early departures if they notify Professor Maloney in a timely manner. Students who may require accommodation because of documented illness or other matters of pressing personal importance should consult Professor Maloney as the occasion arises. Contested Grades: Students who wish to contest a grade on an examination or quiz must submit their request by email directly to Mr. Sanderman within seven days of the date on which grade for the assignment is available through the course website. The request must explain the specific points in dispute. Mr. Sanderman will review the complaint and make a recommendation to Professor Maloney, who will then determine the outcome. Disputes will be resolved within seven days of being filed. Revision of Syllabus: All information contained in the course syllabus is subject to change with reasonable advance notice as deemed appropriate by Professor Maloney. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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