Phil-2113: Introduction to Philosophy

Course Syllabus
Fall 2024

Instructor: Matthew A. Glover, J.D., J.C.L.

Work Phone: (501) 664-0340, ext. 361
E-mail: mglover@asutr.edu
Location: Online
Times: Log on at least twice a week

Course Start/End Dates: Jan. 13 – May 5-9

Final Exam Date/Time: May 6, 3:30pm For those who are distance students, it may be
possible to arrange for off-site proctoring—contact your Coordinator or Dean for information
and an approval form.

Required Text
Philosophy: The Basics, by Nigel Warburton (5th ed.)

Additional Texts: I will occasionally provide additional material throughout the course. You
will also be required to do research via the internet, books, or journals. It is also highly
recommended that you have either an MLA handbook or Habrace, which covers grammar,
mechanics, research, and citations for MLA format.

Course Description
This course will introduce you to the major fields in the Western philosophical tradition. In
particular, you will study the major fields, problems, theories, and personalities of philosophy
through the biographies and writings of leading thinkers. You will also learn how the theories of
classic philosophers can help you to resolve moral, political, practical, and spiritual problems
that you confront in your day-to-day life. Thus, by studying the theories within the major fields
of philosophy, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the history of Western thought.
Additionally, through contemporary application of those theories, you will develop your own
philosophical perspective on modern social, political, and religious issues.

Prerequisites: Basic Composition (ENGL 1013) with a “C” or better OR ASSET/ACT Writing
placement scores. ACTS Index Number PHIL 1103.

Assessment Methods
I grade on the traditional 100-pt scale. Be sure to log-in to class and do all assignments because
it could make the difference between a passing and a non-passing grade.

Student learning will be assessed in a variety of ways. Students must do ALL of the work to
pass the class. In addition to weekly assignments, students will be required to complete a mid-
term exam and a final exam. See below for details.

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Course Objectives
The nature of philosophy is to bring into the open volatile and complex issues. Students in
Introduction to Philosophy are expected to demonstrate:
1. Interpersonal skills, showing respect and courtesy to other's views without making personal,
ad hominem, or derogatory comments;
2. College communication and writing skills, preparing discussion posts, group exercises and an
individual project in standard English, with correct spelling and grammar, properly word
processed and formatted according to assignment instructions;
3. Academic integrity, directly quoting or paraphrasing sources and citing them according to
assignment instructions;
4. Reading comprehension, including the identification of key claims, support for claims and
conclusions to arguments in the philosophical literature;
5. Critical thinking, including the search for definitions, the use of examples of counter-
examples, an understanding of elementary rules for inductive and deductive reasoning, and the
distinction between knowledge, opinion and value judgments;

Assignments and Grading Policy

Note: Each week will have assigned reading materials, Discussion Board posts, and
a Quiz. Each week’s assignment is posted on the Monday at the beginning of that
week, and all Discussion Boards and Quizzes for that week will be due by 11:59pm
on the Sunday following their assignment.

- 25% → Discussion Board

o At least two (2) substantive posts each week in the online “Discussion Board”,
as follows:
 One post must be your own substantive response to the Discussion Board
question or material.
 The other post must be responding to another student’s post with a
substantive post of your own (i.e., it must say more than “I like what you
wrote here” – you must explain why you like it.)
o Please note that the Discussion Board posts are due by 11:59pm on the Sunday
after they are assigned. If you do not make any acceptable posts by the beginning
of the next week, then you will be awarded zero (0) credit; if you only make one
acceptable post, then you will only be awarded half (1/2) credit.
o These posts are essentially like “participation credit,” so do not miss out on the
chance to earn easy points!

- 25% → Weekly Quizzes

o Completion of a quiz each week (usually covering a chapter each week). These
will be multiple choice and will consist of 10 questions.
o Please note that each Quiz will be due by 11:59pm on the Sunday after they are
assigned. If you do not complete the Quiz by the assigned due date, then you will
only be awarded half (1/2) credit for that Quiz upon completion.

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 - 25% → Mid-Term Exam

- 25% → Final Exam

o The Final Exam will consist of 20 multiple choice questions (all of which will be
taken directly from the weekly quizzes) and 2 essay questions.

Grading Scale

A 100-90%
B 89-80%
C 79-70%
D 69-60%
F Below 60%

Instructor E-Mail Policy

My email address is: mglover@asutr.edu. You can expect a response from me within forty-
eight (48) hours of your email, but I will do my very best to respond to your email within twenty-
four (24) hours.

Instructor “Office Hours”

My office number is: 501-664-0340, ext. 361. In addition to responding to your emails and
posts on Blackboard, I will make myself available to you anytime you would like to ask
additional questions or receive additional instruction over the telephone. Since each person’s
schedule will be quite different, please just email me in advance to request a telephone
conference, along with the best times for your availability. I will accommodate as best I can.

Attendance Policy
Since this class is online, you must log on, read the class materials posted for assignment, and
complete the assigned Discussion Board post and the weekly Quiz. If you have not completed
the first assignment by the eleventh day of class, then you will be dropped from the course.
Flexibility is one of the many advantages of an online course, but please keep in mind that there
is a time limit to each unit or module.

For online courses, federal regulations state that a student does not meet the academic attendance
requirement simply by logging into the course. Rather, a student is considered in attendance by
participating in or engaging with the course through assignments, exams, discussion posts, etc.,
related to academic matters.

Make-up or late assignments:

Normally, assignments are given at the beginning of the week and are due at the end of that
week. After the deadline has passed, you will receive zero (0) credit for missed Discussion
Board posts, and half (1/2) credit for late Quizzes. As a general rule, there will be no allowance
for turning in assignments late or making up assignments that are missed. Any requests for
departure from this general rule must be made in advance of the deadline, must be founded on

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some extraordinary reason outside the student’s control, and remain entirely at the discretion of
the instructor for approval.

Academic Integrity

Any student who engages in classroom disruption, cheating, plagiarism, or test tampering will be
subject to disciplinary action. According to College policy, violation may result in lowered
assignment scores, a failing grade in the class, administrative withdrawal from the College, or a
combination of the above sanctions.

Because this is an online course, there will be many materials readily searchable and available
online. If you copy and paste information directly from a website—or if you simply re-type
word-for-word from the textbook—as your answer to any Quiz, Mid-Term, or Final Exam
questions, that constitutes plagiarism and you will receive zero (0) credit for that answer.
Violation may result in lowered assignment scores, a failing grade in the class, administrative
withdrawal from the University, or a combination of the above sanctions.

AI Prohibited: The use of AI-powered apps to complete assignments in this class is prohibited.
Any work you submit that is found to have been generated using AI will be considered in
violation of ASUTR's Academic Integrity policy, and appropriate consequences will follow.

ADA Statement
ASU Three Rivers complies fully with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If any
member of the class has a documented disability on file with the ADA / Section 504
Coordinator, reasonable accommodations will be made as specified. Please advise the instructor
of such disability at the end of the first class meeting. Arrangements for accommodations should
be made the first week of class.

Student Services.
A wide variety of student services is available through the Office of Student Affairs. If you are
in need of tutoring services, financial assistance, counseling sessions, etc., please contact your
advisor or the Director of Student Success.Online students can access these services through the
Online students can access these services through the Resources tab within the Canvas LMS.

Inclement Weather Closing

If inclement weather makes it necessary to cancel on-campus classes, the announcement will be
made to the following media:

College Website: Emergency information is posted on the front page of the College’s web page,
www.ASUTR.edu.
Facebook: Emergency information is posted as the status on the College’s Facebook page,
www.facebook.com/ASUTR4me.

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Television: KARK Channel 4; KATV Channel 7; KTHV Channel 11; FOX 16
Radio: KLAZ 105.9 FM; KQUS 97.5 FM; KSSN 95.7 FM

Online students will continue to have access to their course(s) unless area Internet service is
disrupted; therefore, online classes may not be affected by campus closings.

Class Calendar:

Week Week Start Topic(s) Covered

No. Date
1 1/13 Intro. and Ch. 1a (through “Attempted Solutions to Problem of Evil”)
2 1/20 Chapter 1b
3 1/27 Chapter 2a (through “Rule Utilitarianism”)
4 2/3 Chapter 2b
5 2/10 Chapter 3 (entire chapter)
6 2/17 Chapter 4a (through “Positive Freedom”)
7 2/24 Chapter 4b
8 3/3 MID-TERM EXAM WEEK
9 3/10 Chapter 5a (through “Criticism of the Cogito”)
10 3/17 Chapter 5b
11 3/24 Spring Break
12 3/31 Chapter 6 (entire chapter)
13 4/7 Chapter 7a (through “Criticisms of Token-Identity Theory”)
14 4/14 Chapter 7b
15 4/21 8a (through “Criticisms of the Institutional Theory”)
16 4/28 Chapter 8b
17 5/6 FINAL EXAM

Institutional Student Learning Outcomes.

Although each program produces outcomes appropriate to its own discipline-specific goals and
objectives, ASU-TR has identified the following as desirable attributes for all students to attain
for better success in future employment and continuing educational pursuits. These are our
Institutional Student Learning Outcomes.
 Professionalism: Students will demonstrate skills, good judgment, and behavior
appropriate to the workplace or academic environment.
 Critical Thinking: Students will use critical thinking skills to identify problems, analyze
alternative solutions, and make appropriate decisions for themselves, the group, and
society.
 Communication: Students will use communication skills necessary to read and listen for
understanding, to speak and write clearly, and to follow written and verbal instruction.
 Information Literacy: Students will use available resources, time, materials, and
technology efficiently and effectively.

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Mission Statement.
Arkansas State University Three Rivers is a public, two-year institution of higher education that
continually identifies and addresses the changing learning needs of the communities it serves.

The policies and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating
circumstances or by mutual agreement between the instructor and the students. The instructor
will always inform the students of any changes in a timely manner.