AP/PHIL1100 3.0 A: The Meaning of Life
Offered by: PHIL
Session
Fall 2020
Term
F
Format
LECT
Instructor
Calendar Description / Prerequisite / Co-Requisite
An exploration of a number of fundamental practical philosophical questions, including: What is the meaning of (my) life? What is happiness, and how can I achieve it? What is wisdom? What is death, and what does it mean to me?
Course Start Up
Course Websites hosted on York's "eClass" are accessible to students during the first week of the term. It takes two business days from the time of your enrolment to access your course website. Course materials begin to be released on the course website during the first week. To log in to your eClass course visit the York U eClass Portal and login with your Student Passport York Account. If you are creating and participating in Zoom meetings you may also go directly to the York U Zoom Portal.
For further course Start Up details, review the Getting Started webpage.
For IT support, students may contact University Information Technology Client Services via askit@yorku.ca or (416) 736-5800. Please also visit Students Getting Started UIT or the Getting Help - UIT webpages.
Dr. Patrick J.J. Phillips
pjjp@yorku.ca
Office Hours: (Suspended due to Covid pandemic. Replaced by Q & A sessions via Zoom).
An exploration of a number of fundamental philosophical questions, including: What is the meaning of (my) life? What is knowledge of the world and can I achieve it? Am I free, or is freedom metaphysically or practically unavailable? What is death? Is there an afterlife and what is its significance? Is there a God? If so, can God’s existence be proved? If not, why not? Is morality subjective, or can we know what we ought to do? Lastly, is it possible to answer the question: What is the meaning of life? Or is this hope a misnoma?
This course is an exercise in experiential learning. Debates and discussions will form the forefront of pedagogy in this course. Students will be required to discuss and debate the issues both in class and in tutorial. Those students who do not wish to discuss their ideas are discouraged from undertaking this course.
Required Readings
What Does it All Mean? by Thomas Nagel
112 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (1987)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0195052161
ISBN-13: 978-0195052169
The Meaning of Life: A Reader (paperback) by E. D. Klemke and Steven M. Cahn (editors)
272 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 3 edition (2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0195327306
ISBN-13: 978-0195327304
Suggested Reading
* The Challenge of Relativism (hardcover) by Patrick J.J. Phillips
157 pages
Publisher: Continuum International Publishing Group (December 16, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0826497950
ISBN-13: 978-0826497956
| Note: A copy of this book is on reserve at the Scott Library: BD 221 P45 2007
It is strongly suggested by the course director that students enrolled read both of the required books at LEAST TWICE. The expectation will be that all students do so. |
Essay 1: 35%, (Sunday,, October 4th, 2020 by midnight)
Essay 2: 35% (Sunday, November 8th, 2020 by midnight)
Essay 3: 20% (Sunday, December 6th, 2020 by midnight)
On line lectures. Discussions (Q & A). Opinion papers.
Students will gain knowledge of the history of philosophy, the practice of philosophy and its objects, as well as improving their own analytical, writing, debating and argumentative skills through constant practice.
Correspondence
E-mail: Please ensure that email messages are in the formal mode, professional, clear and coherent. Avoid instant text messaging terms, inappropriate language, emoticons and poor spelling, punctuation or grammar. The subject line of all emails must contain the following information: your first and last names, your student number, course name, your tutorial section, and name of your tutorial leader. Simply put, if we cannot understand your email, we cannot respond to it.
hours.
Assignment Submission and Lateness Penalties
A 5% per calendar day grade reduction will apply, unless accompanied by a doctor’s note, court-date note, or other official documentation detailing a serious matter within 48 hours of the missed deadline.
Appeals Process
Assignments are graded by the tutorial leaders who are knowledgeable and
experienced graders. You may ask for a grade re-assessment on an assignment.
This, however, is not an ordinary occurrence but is, rather, an exception. Simply wanting a higher grade is not an acceptable reason for requesting a re-assessment. Please note that the grade for reassessed assignments may go up, down or remain the same.
If you believe that you assignment has been wrongly graded, explain why in a one-page, typed letter. Staple this to your graded assignment and present it to your tutorial leader. Having done this, you must make an appointment with them to discuss the matter during their office hours.
The course adopts a zero-tolerance policy with regard to any breach of academic honesty and integrity. Please refer to York University Secretariat website <www.yorku.ca/secretariat> for further information on Breach of Academic Honesty and Integrity, Access/Disability, the Ethics Review process and Student Code of Conduct.
- Academic Honesty
- Student Rights and Responsibilities
- Religious Observance
- Grading Scheme and Feedback
- 20% Rule
No examinations or tests collectively worth more than 20% of the final grade in a course will be given during the final 14 calendar days of classes in a term. The exceptions to the rule are classes which regularly meet Friday evenings or on Saturday and/or Sunday at any time, and courses offered in the compressed summer terms. - Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
