Dr. David N. Stamos
dstamos@yorku.ca

In this course we will critically examine arguments on various issues concerning the meaning of life, which is one of the key “What is x?” questions in philosophy. Hence, what is the meaning of life?

The content of the course will be divided into a number of sections: some answers from ancient philosophers, the meaning of the question itself, some theistic answers, and finally some non-theistic answers, including answers from philosophers and non-philosophers, the latter including mainly biologists and psychologists.

The goal of this course is not to reach any final conclusion on our topic, let alone to indoc­trinate, but rather to develop a critically responsible understanding of many of the answers to our question and an appreciation of the related issues and problems. Students from all back­grounds are welcome but should keep in mind that this is a philosophy course, not a religion course, that academic philosophy is a discipline (with arguments and their evaluation at the core, not “ I feel I feel I feel,”) and intel­lectual curiosity should be the key.

Technical Requirements for Taking the Course:

(1) Students will need a computer with high-speed internet in order to take this course.

(2) Lectures will consist of videos uploaded to Moodle. If your computer has trouble opening these video files (MKV), the solution is very simple: download VLC media player (PC or Mac, it’s free, safe, and easy to use).

(3) Tutorials will be held using Zoom. Your Attendance Mark (10%) will be based on your attendance in these Zoom tutorials. This will require a computer with a webcam and microphone, and/or a “smart” device with these features.

(4) There is no test during the course, only a final exam. The day and time will be uniform for all students and will be administered on Moodle (the day and time of the exam has yet to be determined by York administration).

(5) 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:

This course will be entirely online/remote. There will be no in-person interactions or activities on campus. Lectures will be asynchronous. Lecture Videos (which at max will be 26 minutes long per video) will be uploaded to Moodle usually the evening before the scheduled lecture days. (A detailed and user-friendly Syllabus will be provided shortly before the course starts.) You can watch these whenever you want, and as many times as you want, but in the very least they should be watched in line with the dates of the readings. Tutorials will be synchronous, conducted via Zoom, and on the days and times that you register with when you register for the course. These Zoom tutorials will be recorded, but the Attendance Mark will be based on your attendance in these tutorials. As with a live course, if you don’t show you don’t get the attendance credit. The Final Exam will also be synchronous, online through Moodle, with all students writing on the same day and at the same time.

Virtual Office Hours:

By email appointment only, conducted through a device (at least at my end) called a telephone.

No text. The readings will be from pdfs and websites.

Essays (2)                    50%

Tutorial Attendance    10%

Final Exam                  40% (wherever you are, you must be willing to write the exam at the                                same time as the rest of the class)

This is an online course. It includes lecture videos twice a week (uploaded onto Moodle usually the evening before what would normally be the lecture day) and a tutorial once a week (which will be conducted during the tutorial time slot that you registered in). How the tutorials will be administered remains to be de­ter­mined. NOTE: this is a double-speed course, which means in effect that you will be taking the equivalent of two courses over a six-week period—i.e., it’s double the intensity, and also double the enjoyment.

Comprehension of the lectures and reading material, development of critical reasoning skills, and improved essay writing.

As this course deals with the topic of death, students who have recently suffered a death in the family, or have a loved one in the hospital possibly on their deathbed, or are taking medi­cation for depression, or are simply having a problem with thinking about death (including especially the possibility of death as nothingness), should consider taking this course at another time.

Course Policies:

(1) The videos and the notes that I supply on Moodle are my property and are to be

used by students only for the purpose of this course. If they are discovered else-

where, the student responsible will be prosecuted as a matter of Academic Mis-

conduct.

(2) Essays will be submitted through Moodle using Turnitin. Students who wish to

opt out of Turnitin will need to contact me well in advance of submission.