Syllabus

University of Connecticut •  Fall 2019 

PHIL1101 Basic Problems of Philosophy

With Justin Good and Jen Taylor

Section 001 • MoWe 4:40pm-5:55pm @ Arjona 143

Section 002 • MoWe 6:10pm-7:25pm @ Oak Hall 108

Office hours: Mondays, 3:30-4:30pm 

or by appointment at a location TBA.

Contact: Professor Justin Good Philosopher Jen Taylor

justin@OurSanctuary.org         jentaylor13@yahoo.com 

(617) 733-9270

Course website:  ph1101.blogspot.com  

§1. Description

This seminar offers an introduction to philosophy as a set of texts, traditions, historical unfoldments, tools and questions which can help us to think more deeply and with sharper intentions about some key crises facing our civilization.

As an introduction to philosophy, it is also a provocation for questioning one’s own existence towards deeper Self Knowledge, Purpose, and an Invitation to Alignment with Highest Value. In a collaborative and whole brained style which incorporates analytical and affective/embodied cognitive styles of learning, we will explore the dialectical tension between how things are (the realm of fact and interpretation), and how things ought to be (the normative dimension of reality) while cultivating ways to see hope, possibilities for movement, healing, genuine partnership, and creativity in otherwise very frighteningly non-linear moments of apocalyptic transformation on Spaceship Earth. 

We will also be practicing the cultivation of a number of philosophical learning abilities such as skeptical attitude, dialectical imagination, conceptual perspicacity, ethical remote viewing, as well as non-judgmental self-observation and mindfulness: the ability to remain in alpha state of pure non-judgmental, non-mediated, relaxed, alert awareness. This class is designed for students as well as human beings. 

§2. Learning Objectives  

1. Critical thinking and feeling skills
2. Developing ability to write an argumentative, philosophical essay. 

3. Non-violent communication skills and openness to asking catalytic questions.
4. Grasp of basic principles of philosophy.

5. Mindfulness and Non-judgment

§3. Required Texts

1. Toru Sato, The Ever-Transcending Spirit: The Psychology of Human Relationships, 

Consciousness, and Development (ISBN-13: 978-0595290048)

2. The Republic of Plato by Allan Bloom (Translator) (ISBN-10: 0465094082)

3. Riane Eisler, The Chalice and the Blade: Our History, Our Future  ISBN-10: 9780062502896  

4. Angela Davis, Women, Race, & Class  (ISBN-10: 9780394713519)

There will also be some online readings, including for our second meeting on August 28th, to be found on the course website PH1101.BLOGSPOT.COM. Note that this is NOT HuskyCT but an independent blogspot site. All course information, including reading assignments for each class will be posted on this site one class in advance.

§4. Course Requirements   

1. Write Three Papers.

2. Participation in Offering Questions and Observations for class Discussions.

3. Being Actually Present in Class.

4. Willingness to Practice Mindfulness Meditation.

5. Allowing yourself to be a Happy Learner.

§5. Course Policies 

1. Writing Assignments. 

There are three main paper assignments: (1) 4 page argument due 10/2, (2) 5 page dialectical paper due 10/28, (3) 6 page Final term paper due the week after our last class on 12/4. I will be giving out more detailed instructions for each assignment as we come to them. There will also be some very short (1 page) writing assignments.

2. Serving as a Question Spur. 

Each class several students will be responsible for getting our discussion started by sharing their questions and their sketch of a key argument from the reading assignment for that class. These presentations will give the student the opportunity to develop the oral communication skills. Being able to articulate a philosophical position (whether one supports the position or not) is a central part of understanding that position, so discussion is a central part of the class. I will pick two students at the end of each class to prepare a short sharing for the following class. 

3. Participation, Attention & Courage 

Students are invited to come to class, to be mentally and emotionally present in class and absolutely no use of digital devices, no texting or cell phone use. You should be prepared to discuss the assigned reading, have a question to share, be willing to engage in friendly but spirited dialogue and to question their deepest assumptions and stories.

4. Willingness to Practice Meditation 

Beginning on the second week into the course there will be a short (5-10 min.) meditation at the beginning of each class. This practice helps the student to relax and focus, think more clearly, engage the material more deeply, and serves as a powerful remedy for the stress that the academic setting tends to generate. Students should be willing to engage this practice.

  

§6. Schedule

(1) 8/26 Introduction to Philosophy

Chapter One: Truth, Goodness and Beauty

(2) 8/28 Beginning of the Revolution  

Pr. Text: Plato, Apology (or The Trial of Socrates)

No class Labor Day 9/2

(3-10) 9/4-9/30 The True, The Good, The Beautiful

Pr. Text: Plato, The Republic

Chapter Two: Freedom, Bondage and Co-Creation (w/ Jen Taylor)

(11-14) 10/2-11/14 Social History of Partnership and Domination 

Pr. Text: Riane Eisler, The Chalice and the Blade

Chapter Three: Self, Consciousness and Meaning 

(15) 10/16 Indigenous World View and “Progress”

Pr. Text: Helena Norberg-Hodge, “Learning from Ladakh”

(16) 10/21 Consciousness, Self and Soul

Pr. Text: David Chalmers, “Easy and Hard Problems of 

Consciousness”

(17) 10/23 Transpersonalism and Science of the Extended Mind

Pr. Text: Russell Targ, “Scientific & Spiritual Implications of 

Psychic Abilities”

(18) 10/28 Epistemology of ET: Introduction to Exophilosophy

Pr. Text: Stanton Friedman, “Case for the Extraterrestrial Origin of UFOS” 

(19) 10/30 Philosophy of Money and Wealth

Pr. Text: HR6550 Monetary Reform Bill

(20) 11/4 Inequality, Capitalism and Eco-Collapse

Pr. Text: Peter Barnes, “Divine Right of Capital”

Chapter Four: Identity, Conditioning and Solidarity (w/ Jen Taylor)

(21-23) 11/6-11/13 Intersectionality, Social Justice and Female Liberation

Pr. Text: Angela Davis, Women, Race and Class

Chapter Five: Happiness, Wholeness and Life Force Energy

(24-25) 11/18-11/27 Energy Vampirism, Non-Judgment, Enlightenment

Pr. Text: Toru Sato, The Ever-Transcending Spirit

Thanksgiving Break

(26) 12/2 Gnostic Perspectives on Ethics: Forgiveness as Liberation

Pr. Text: Handout on Restorative Justice

(27) 12/4 Semester Debrief

Note: Final Paper is due at the scheduled time/date of the final exam for this course.

§7. Some basic guidelines for writing assignments 

CONTENT & DEVELOPMENT 

1. Personal and philosophical 

A really good philosophy essay is both personally-meaningful and also theoretically-interesting. That is, a good paper draws on personal experiences and feelings and brings them to bear on theoretical questions listed in the assignment instructions. Note that a good essay does not need to give a definitive answer to any of the questions, and often a good philosophy reflection does just the opposite – it shows how difficult the question is answer. That is, it brings the question to life.  KEY: What is your question? What do you want to understand more deeply? 

What are you arguing against? What’s driving your curiosity or frustrating it?

2. It develops and has a point to make 

In terms of development, the paper poses a question at the beginning and then attempts to offer reflections, data, references, ideas, whatever, which are relevant to the question, and then ends with some statement about what has been established during the essay. That is, you want your essay to have a feeling of development, that it is going somewhere, as opposed to just listing or mentioning various ideas but in a disconnected way, so that your reader doesn’t really know what you are saying or what your point is. 

3. It is dialectical 

That is, it uses at least one example to focus on, and uses contrasting ways to analyze or interpret that example in order to better clarify one's position. KEY: Any argument is clarified hugely by contrasting it with what you are not arguing, or by contrast with what you are arguing against. 

4. It is effective as an exercise in philosophical therapy  

From a personal perspective, a good paper helps you to discover something about yourself and the material that you did not understand or were unclear about before your engaged the writing challenge. If you feel you haven’t learned anything from the exercise, something has gone wrong and you need to go back and dig deeper. 

READABILITY, STYLE & MECHANICS 

The writing in a first-rate paper is easy to read, engages the reader with a focused question, brings in relevant examples and makes a point. This is the hardest part about learning to write – making your ideas flow into each other. A good paper also follows the rules of grammar, usage and punctuation, has no spelling mistakes, is composed of well-constructed complete sentences, and has an appropriate tone to the content and message.