Intro
Contact
-
Office:
P.I. 00.19 (or online), need to contact via e-mail beforehand and arrange a meeting
What we can expect:
Feedback during class
Answers to specific clarifications related to the course during class and via e-mail.
Would you like additional individual feedback on your paper during the writing process? You can, but:
- Contact via email (well) before the announced deadline for feedback
- Only once per writing assignment
- You will only get an appointment if you already sent a working paper
Written individual feedback after each writing assignment + after intermediate assignments for WA3 and WA4.
What we have to do
Active participation
Starting assignments on time
Respecting deadlines and feedback periods
Contact in a timely manner for an appointment
Coming to the appointment prepared - In the second part of the course, if we didn’t do our homework, it will be difficult to participate.
Going through the Syllabus on your own first
VERY IMPORANT - NEXT DEADLINE IS ON OCTOBER 7th.
Writing e-mails
Dear Prof. (Last name)
Or Dear Camila (because Ph.D. researcher not prof)
Content
What is a philosophical text?
-
Teleological
A philosophical text has to be written with a purpose (telos): to defend or refute a thesis.
A position or thesis consists of a proposition and an attitude toward it.
E.g. Proposition: “Morality is a set of principles designed to protect human beings from suffering”.
-
Dialogical
Must communicate between the other and an imagined reader or listener, and presupposes a difference of opinion, thus taking into account possible objections.
Contextualizing a text != endorsing or excusing it. -
Argumentative
To defend or refute a thesis, the philosopher must use rationally constructed argumentation. This does not, however, mean that arguments can only be empirical.
Reading a philosophical text
When paraphrasing, keep in mind the keywords, do not substitute any other words for them.
Additionally, do not add additional info to the text. Only consider the things you are given.
Writing Assignment 1 (WA1)
Text: Kant - “What is enlightenment?”
Paraphrase Kant’s text
- Express Kant’s central thesis and his arguments in your own words
- However, do not give your own opinion. Stick to the argument of the text itself. You can, however, cite your own example to clarify a thesis or argument.
See helpful questions and additional info on assignment in slides on Toledo.
Process
- Read the text
- Write down and upload notes
- Next lesson (Oct. 4) will have us beginning to write the paper with some assistance
- Turn the paper in by Oct. 10, 4 P.M. (Very hard time limit, DO NOT BE LATE)