2020f-apphil2420a-03

AP/PHIL2420 3.0 A: Human Nature

Offered by: PHIL


 Session

Fall 2020

 Term

F

Format

LECT

Instructor

Calendar Description / Prerequisite / Co-Requisite

An introduction to philosophy focusing upon traditional and contemporary views of human nature. The course focuses on the question of whether we are basically good or evil, rational or irrational, free or unfree, altruistic or egoistic. Course credit exclusions: None. PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Course credit exclusions: AK/AS/PHIL 2420 3.00.


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.


    Additional Course Instructor/Contact Details

David Jopling

jopling@yorku.ca

    Expanded Course Description

Who are we? Where did we come from? Where are we going? What makes us human? This course is an introduction to the philosophy of human nature. The course will explore a handful of attempts by major philosophers and scientists to answer these questions. It begins at Oxford in the seventeenth century, with the English philosopher John Locke, and ends at Harvard, in the year 2020, with the biological anthropologist Richard Wrangham. In between, the course ranges over the musings of Jean Jacques Rousseau, Arthur Schopenhauer, Charles Darwin, Jean Paul Sartre, Joseph Henrich, and Michael Tomasello.

    Additional Requirements

Technical requirements for taking the course: You will need a computer or tablet, and an internet connection. There is no video conferencing in this course. Office hours will be held once weekly via zoom (using audio only); or by email exchange.

 

Here are some useful links for student computing information, resources and help:

Student Guide to Moodle

Zoom@YorkU Best Practices 

Zoom@YorkU User Reference Guide

Computing for Students Website

Student Guide to eLearning at York University

 

To determine Internet connection and speed, there are online tests, such as Speedtest, that can be run.]

 

Times and locations: The entire course, including submission of assignments, and discussion, will take place on the course’s moodle site. Lectures will be pre-recorded and posted to the moodle site at the start of each week. Although we were scheduled to meet at particular times and days of the week, this course has no live virtual meetings, except for office hours. Like an online course, you can learn the course material at your own pace, following the schedule of readings and activities. There will be no in-person interactions on campus.

Virtual office hours: Virtual office hours by email exchanges Monday to Friday, or by zoom audio meeting (not video) one hour per week. Time and day TBA.

    Required Course Text / Readings

There is no course kit and no textbook. All texts used in the course are in the public domain and are found on the internet. URLs and links will be posted on the moodle site and in the syllabus.

    Weighting of Course

One online test (100 minutes), 20%; one take-home exam (2 weeks to complete), 30%; one final essay, 50%. Dates TBA.

    Organization of the Course

Lectures will be pre-recorded and posted to the moodle site at the beginning of each week. Discussion and Q&A will take place asynchronously on the moodle discussion board.

    Course Learning Objectives

After completing this course, students will be able to:

  1. understand and explain the main philosophical and/or scientific positions defended by Locke, Rousseau, Schopenhauer, Darwin, Sartre, Henrich, Tomasello, and Wrangham on the question of human nature;
  2. critically analyze and evaluate the arguments and evidence used by these philosophers and scientists in defense of thei respective positions;
  3. understand and explain the relevance of these philosophers and scientists to contemporary debates in philosophy, science, politics and public affairs.
    Additional Information / Notes

Course policies

 

  1. All audio recordings should be used for educational purposes only and as a means for enhancing accessibility.
  2. Students do not have permission to duplicate, copy, and/or distribute the recordings outside class (these actions can violate not only copyright laws but also FIPPA.
  3. All recordings will be destroyed after the end of the course.
  4. Please hand in all assignments on time. Extensions are allowed in the event of illness, bereavement, disabilities, or special needs. Wok that is submitted late and that falls outside of these conditions will incur a late penalty of 2% per day.
  5. Please refer to Senate Policy on Academic Honesty.
  6. Please refer to The Academic Integrity Tutorial.
    Relevant Links / Resources