Professor
Talbott Spring
2009
Office: Condon 632 Philosophy
410A:
Phone: 543-5095 Social
Philosophy
Email: wtalbott@ TTh: 1:30-3:20 pm
Office
Hours: Wed. 2:00 – 4:00 pm (except Wed.
May 6) More
234
and by appointment
URL: http://faculty.washington.edu/wtalbott/
SYLLABUS
PHILOSOPHY 410A. Social
Philosophy: The Priority of
Disability Resources For Students. If you would like to request academic accommodations
due to a disability, please contact Disability Resources for Students (DRS),
448 Schmitz, (206) 543-8924 (V/TTY). If
you have a letter from DRS indicating you have a disability that requires
academic accommodations, please present the letter to me so we can discuss the
accommodations you might need for the class.
I.
Course Goals: In spite of
the best efforts of many governments to prevent it, liberty, especially
negative liberty, is expanding all over the world. In this course, we do two things: (1) Investigate the most significant
philosophical explanations and defenses of schemes of negative liberty; (2)
Apply the philosophical theories to difficult issues concerning liberty,
especially issues concerning freedom of speech and paternalism. This course is intended to help you to
develop the ability to read and comprehend difficult philosophical texts and to
improve your expository and critical writing.
II. Course
Electronic Reserve. These readings will be available on the Web
(URL: http://www.lib.washington.edu/services/course/).
III. Course Requirements:
1. CLASS PREPARATION AND
ATTENDANCE. The class meets TTh from 1:30 to 3:20 pm, EXCEPT ON THURSDAY, APRIL 9 AND
THURSDAY, MAY 28. Everyone is expected
to do the assigned readings in advance and to attend and to participate in the
discussion. See the separate handout of
Course Readings and the separate weekly handouts of Discussion Topics and Paper
Topics. Class participation can improve
your grade but cannot lower it.
2.
EMAIL. I will send out important
class and individual messages to your U.W. email account. You should check that account regularly. I also encourage you to use email to contact
me. My email address appears above. I usually answer email messages within 24
hours during the week and within 48 hours on weekends and holidays.
3. END-OF-CLASS QUESTIONS. (1-5 Points Each). At the end of each class, except the day of
the midterm exam and the original position assignment, you will be asked to
give a written answer to a question based on the readings or the discussion in
lecture. These assignments will provide
practice for writing answers to exam questions.
Answers to end of class questions may not be turned in late, unless the
absence is excused. If you are present
or have an excused absence and receive less than 1/2 credit for your answer to
an end-of-class question, you may resubmit for up to 1/2 credit. All answers to end of class questions for
excused absences and all resubmits must be received before the term paper
deadline.
4. MIDTERM EXAM. There will be a Midterm Exam (worth 100
points) in class on Tuesday, May 5. A list
of potential exam questions will be distributed in class on Thursday, Apr.
23. The actual exam questions will be
selected from the list. Please bring a
pen and blank green/blue books to the exams.
5.
PAPERS. (a) Paper #1, a 5-7 page paper
on Thomson (120 points). See the
instructions for Paper #1 on the PHIL 410 Web page.
(b) Term Paper (280 Points). The term paper replaces the final exam. See the instructions for the term paper on
the PHIL 410 Web page.
There is a separate handout of Paper
Guidelines. Please make sure you review
the Paper Guidelines before turning in your papers. PAPERS THAT DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE GUIDELINES
WILL BE PENALIZED.
Undergraduates—especially those who have not taken an upper level
philosophy course before—are encouraged to have a draft of your paper read by
one of the tutors in the
IV. Extensions Of Time.
Extensions of time should be requested in advance of the
deadline. Unexcused, late work will be penalized. However, late work still earns partial
credit. All late work must be submitted
before the final exam. I DO NOT INTEND
TO GRANT ANY INCOMPLETES, EXCEPT IN CASES OF GENUINE EMERGENCIES.
V. Course Web Site.
All handouts, transparencies, discussion questions, paper topics, and
end-of-class questions will be available on the course Web site (see URL
above). So if you are ever absent, you
can check the course Web site to find out what you missed.
VI.
Academic Integrity.
Whenever you turn in any assignment in this course, the understanding is that
what you are turning in is your own original work, except to the extent that
you explicitly credit others for their contributions. You have an obligation to
avoid even the appearance of impropriety, by always attributing any
argument or idea that you have borrowed, even if you have modified it, to its
source. The source may be written or
oral. For example, if an argument was
suggested by a fellow student, include that information in a footnote. If it is determined that there has been
cheating that involves one student copying another's work on an assignment or
exam, if both students were aware of the copying, both will receive zero
credit for the assignment or exam, in addition to any other sanctions that
might be imposed.
VII. Grades. Grades will be based on total points
(out of a total possible of approximately 580 points) as follows: In-class assignments (approx. 80 points);
paper #1 (120 points); Midterm Exam (100 points); and term paper (280
points). Grades are based on total
points earned, as follows: 96% = 4.0;
95% = 3.9; 90% = 3.5; 80% = 3.0; 65% = 2.0; 50% = 1.0. Your contribution to discussion in class can
improve your grade, but cannot lower it.
VIII. Course Evaluation.
Thursday, June 4, in class. The course evaluation is your opportunity to
evaluate my performance and to provide suggestions for improving the course.