Dr. Julianne Chung
jnchung@yorku.ca

What are we, and what are we—and other things—like, exactly? Moreover, what kinds of things can we expect to be able to know, and how can we know them? In this course, we will discuss these core philosophical questions through the lens of work by thinkers belonging to a variety of cultures and traditions. In so doing, we will also involve ourselves in discussions of questions like: Are there selves? Are people’s minds distinct from their bodies? What does it mean to say that a person is the same person that they used to be? What is human nature like, and how fixed is it? What other sorts of things exist, and what are they like? When are our beliefs well-supported (if ever) and when aren’t they?

Technical requirements for taking the course:

Classes will be online, delivered asynchronously with recorded lectures as well as synchronously over Zoom. Students will be occasionally expected to appear on video for class participation, and so, in addition to a stable, higher-speed Internet connection, students will need a computer with a webcam and a microphone, and/or a smart device with these features. Zoom discussions will not be recorded.

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: Classes will be delivered asynchronously via weekly lectures posted on eClass as well as synchronously over Zoom at the scheduled meeting time of R 9:30-10:30.

Please note that this is a course that depends on remote teaching and learning. There will be no in-person interactions or activities on campus.

Virtual office hours:

Office hours will be by appointment only. Students should email the instructor at jnchung@yorku.ca to make an appointment. A Zoom meeting will then be scheduled.

Selections from D. Bonevac and S. Phillips (eds.), Introduction to World Philosophy (Oxford University Press: 2009) ISBN-13: 978-0199017447

S. Finn, C. Case, B. Underwood, and J. Zuck, The Philosophy Skills Book (Bloomsbury: 2012) ISBN-13: 978-1441167422

Reflections: 20%

Short essays: 70%

Participation: 10%

There will be 3 components to course assessment: i) seven reflections; ii) two sets of short essays, and; iii) participation.

Reflections: These assignments are designed to help students get started with respect to thinking and writing about some of the ideas expressed in our readings, as well as connections between them and other topics and activities that they are interested in. Unlike other course requirements, these assignments will be graded as complete or incomplete and questions will be distributed weekly. They need not be very long but must be at least 250 words or more per option. Each student will be expected to complete seven options in total.

Short Essays: Short essay questions on material explored will be circulated a week in advance of their due dates. There will be two sets of five or six short essay questions distributed, and students will need to complete two options from each set. They must not be very long and must be no longer than 750 words or less per option (1500 words or less per set). Short essays may be rewritten. We will discuss expectations for these further in class.

Participation: In this course, we will be focusing on reading, writing, and discussing philosophy. Thus, regular attendance and participation in class meetings and tutorials are required. It should be emphasized that attendance is a necessary, but not a sufficient, condition for doing well as regards the participation portion of the course: just as important as attending class are preparing for and participating in class. Students must do an excellent job of all three of these things in order to earn an excellent grade for this course component.

This course has four principal goals: i) To introduce students to an array of views about the philosophical questions noted above, and to aid them in developing a broad understanding of them; ii) To assist students in cultivating skill in both verbal and written philosophical discussion and argumentation, as well as in interpreting and evaluating philosophical texts and other forms of communication; iii) To enable students to think critically about the philosophical questions investigated and to draw connections between what they have learned in this class and what they are studying in others, in addition to other questions that they might wonder about, and; iv) To promote an appreciation of diverse philosophical approaches, as well as the values of humanistic inquiry, especially intellectual curiosity and humility.

All written work must be submitted to teaching assistants by the due dates specified (unless arranged otherwise in advance).

Please note in addition that any recordings: i) should be used for educational purposes only and as a means for enhancing accessibility; ii) cannot be copied or distributed outside the class (these acts can violate not only copyright laws but also FIPPA); and iii) all recordings will be destroyed after the end of classes.