
Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) 1: For all
courses, how can I most easily use this website?
For all classes, the keys to most easily using our website are to have
a positive attitude toward our website and to use Control + F -- and
the table of contents below -- to search for key words or phrases in
our website. I have tried to put the most important questions and
answers toward the top of the website, to minimize the scrolling you
have to do. Using Control + F minimizes scrolling, too. Avoid printing
out the website, for these reasons: 1) the website is over 225 pages
long in Font size 12; 2) much or even most of the website will be
irrelevant to your work in the course, since most of the website
consists of quotations you can use in your paper; but there is only one
paper due and there are about 7 topics with up to 147 quotes on each
topic; 3) importantly, relying on one printout means you miss all
updates after you print out the website; 4) printing out the website,
especially more than once to get updates, is environmentally wasteful
of paper; 5) most importantly, a printout can't give you the crucial
Control + F window to search the website with pushbutton ease; and 6)
the pages of your printout might not be numbered (since the website
lacks page numbers) and so the printout may be hard to organize. Avoid
being intimidated by the size of our website, since every part of our
website is designed to help students. So having a large website is like
having a large friend or a large library. Besides, you don't let the
large size of the library on campus intimidate you; you see that as a
great resource due to its large size. The same applies here. Anyway,
whatever your attitude, you can read the table of contents below (29
FAQs) to find what you want in fewer than 5 minutes and you can search
this website with pushbutton ease for key words or phrases by holding
down the Control key and then hitting the F key. A window will then
appear and then you should type in the word or phrase for which you
wish to search. If that fails, simply use the table of contents below
to find your way around this website. Scroll to the FAQ that gives you
the answer you seek or simply use Control + F to search for the FAQ.
It's pushbutton easy and as easy as reading the TV Guide or a comic
book. Indeed, in some ways it is easier to read than a comic book,
since you won't be distracted by pictures and since the font is typed
and thus easier to read than a comic book's handwritten font.
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS WEBSITE
Here is the absolutely crucially important table of contents for the
website:
FAQ1: For all courses, how can I most easily use this website?
FAQ2: For all courses, what is Dr. Harwood's contact info and when did
Dr. Harwood last revise this website, and what were his latest
revisions?
FAQ3: What's my grade?
FAQ4: What's the syllabus for PHIL 60 EVC Spring 2008?
FAQ5: For all courses, what are Dr. Harwood's CRUCIALLY important
Guidelines A-Z for Creating & Grading Papers & Presentations?
FAQ6: For all courses, what is the best sample paper for us to read to
help us write our term paper in ABC format?
FAQ7: For all courses, what is the required ABC format for organizing
papers (unless otherwise stated on the greensheet or syllabus)?
FAQ8: For all courses (and for all paper topics except moral relativism
versus moral realism in PHIL 65 Spring 05 @ EVC), what are the 5 moral
principles we should use AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE if we write on any moral
or political topic such as affirmative action, gun control, abortion,
euthanasia, prostitution, or surrogate motherhood?
FAQ9: For all courses, what are the 7 truth tips we should try to use
to discover truth generally and try to use in section C of our ABC sets
in our term papers?
FAQ10: For all courses, what are 33 fallacies to avoid committing and
to expose and disagree with when others commit them?
FAQ11: For all courses, what is Dr. Harwood's introductory lecture in
philosophy?
FAQ12: For all courses, what are some arguments on euthanasia (mercy
killing) that students have the option of evaluating in a paper?
FAQ13: For all courses, what are some arguments about abortion that
students have the option of evaluating in a paper?
FAQ14: For all classes, what are more than 175 quotations on human
nature that students may choose from to use in the A sections of their
papers to evaluate (and in the C sections of their papers to help them
evaluate quotations in their A sections)?
FAQ15: For all courses, what are some arguments on gun control that
students may use in a paper on gun control?
FAQ16: For all courses, what are some affirmative action quotes
students may use in a paper on affirmative action?
FAQ17: For all courses, what are some quotations on prostitution
students may use in a paper about whether or not to legalize
prostitution?
FAQ18: For all courses, what are some quotes on the Baby M/Surrogate
Motherhood case which students can use in a paper about surrogate
motherhood?
FAQ19: For all courses, what are more than 100 miscellaneous, assorted
quotes we may choose from to use in any approved paper topic for which
they are relevant (ask Dr. Harwood if there is any doubt about their
relevance for an approved paper topic and note that your paper must be
on only one of the approved paper topics; avoid combining paper topics)?
FAQ20: For all courses, what are some arguments on capital punishment
that students may use in a paper on capital punishment?
FAQ21: What is the test bank for PHIL 10 Fall 2008 @ EVC?
FAQ22: For all courses (except those excluded below), how may we view
videos and earn extra credit on our exams, quizzes & tests (40% of
your course grade at EVC & SJCC)?
FAQ23: For PHIL 10 and PHIL 60 students only, what are some quotes on
rationalism versus empiricism that students may use in a paper on
rationalism versus empiricism?
FAQ24: For all courses, what quotes show that the Golden Rule is
accepted in at least 7 different cultures or religions?
FAQ25: For all courses, what guidelines should I follow to make email
communication with Dr. Harwood most helpful to all concerned?
FAQ26: For all courses, how can I rewrite my paper to try to get a
higher grade (though not all COMM 100W or COMM 41 papers may be
rewritten)?
FAQ27: What are the 8 requirements for earning 3 extra credit points
for every American War (note that one student seems to have found 48
American wars I list at the end of FAQ27 and thus seems to have earned
144 extra credit points)?
FAQ28: For all courses, how can we get our work back after the course
is over?
FAQ29: For all courses, what is Dr. Harwood's essay published as "Is
Inheritance Immoral?" chapter 44 in Louis P. Pojman's book Political
Philosophy (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002)?
FAQ30: For all classes, how can students earn up to 15 extra credit
points on an approximately 30-foot bronze and white marble statue of
Confucius?
FAQ31: For all classes, what videos have we seen in class so far?
FAQ32: For all classes, what are some pros and cons of capital
punishment?
FAQ33: For all classes, what are some pros and cons of moral relativism?
FAQ34: For all classes, what are some pros and cons of affirmative
action?
FAQ35: For all classes, what is Dr. Harwood's overview of Philosophy of
Religion?
FAQ36: For all classes, what is Dr. Harwood's essay "Why Be Moral? A
Definition and Defense of Humanism"?
FAQ37: What is the syllabus for PHIL 60 Logic: Critical Reasoning,
Spring 2007, 2 sections, W night and Sat. morning, both @ SJCC?
FAQ38: For PHIL 65 Introduction to Ethics; M&W 1045am-1210pm; room
C102 EVC; Spring 2007, what is the syllabus?
FAQ39: What are 7 possible contradictions in Buddhism?
FAQ40: What are more than 20 quotations by or about Confucius that
students may use in the A-sections (and the C sections) of a term paper?
FAQ41: What are some quotations on the paper topic of legalizing
currently illegal drugs that students may use in the A-sections (and
C-sections) of their papers?
FAQ42: What is a test bank and what is the test bank for PHIL 10 SJCC
Saturdays 9am-1225pm Fall 2007?
FAQ43: What's a test bank and what's the test bank for PHIL 60 Logic
and Critical Thinking, EVC, Fall 2007?
FAQ44: What is a test bank and what is the test bank for PHIL 65
Introduction to Ethics, Spring 2008, EVC?
FAQ45: What is Chief Seattle's letter concerning environmentalism?
FAQ46: What is the syllabus for PHIL 65 Fall 2008 EVC?
FAQ47: What are the grades for COMM 41, Section 3, M/W 730-845AM, HGH
219, Spring 2008, SJSU?
FAQ48: What are the grades for COMM 100W, Section 1, F 9-1145AM, BBC
223, Spring 2008?
FAQ49: What are the instructions for COMM 41 students doing the
Personal Introductions assignment due at the end of the last class in
Week 2 at SJSU?
FAQ50: What are the grades for PHIL 60, EVC, M/W 1215-140PM, Spring
2008?
FAQ51: What are the grades for PHIL 60, SJCC, SAT 9AM-1220PM, Spring
2008?
FAQ52: What are the grades for PHIL 65, EVC, M/W 1045AM-1210PM, Spring
2008?
FAQ53: What are the grades for Law & Logic, Lincoln Law School, W
night, Spring 2008?
FAQ54: What is the greensheet for COMM 100W?
FAQ55: What videos have we seen in COMM 41TH?
FAQ56: What videos have we seen in COMM 41MW?
FAQ57: What videos have we seen in COMM 100W?
FAQ58: What videos have we seen in PHIL 65?
FAQ59: What videos have we seen in PHIL 60 MW @ EVC?
FAQ60: What videos have we seen in PHIL 60 SAT @ SJCC?
FAQ61: What are the answers to the midterm in COMM 41TH, so we may
unofficially grade our own tests for faster feedback?
FAQ62: What are the answers to the midterm in COMM 41MW, so we may
unofficially grade our own tests for faster feedback?
FAQ63: What are the answers to the midterm in COMM 100W, so we may
unofficially grade our own tests for faster feedback?
FAQ64: What is the test bank for COMM 100W?
FAQ65: What is the test bank for COMM 41MW SECTION ONLY?
FAQ66: What was the test in COMM 41MW on 3/17/08 and what are the right
answers to those test questions?
FAQ67: What's a sample paper (but still an imperfect paper) on abortion?
FAQ68: What are 23 reasons to start questioning President Richard
Nixon's claim that all 6 landings of humans on the moon in human
history occurred 1969-1972 during his first presidential term?
********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
FAQ2: For all courses, what is Dr. Harwood's contact info, when did Dr.
Harwood last revised this website, and what were his revisions?
Here's Dr. Harwood's contact info:
Dr. Harwood's email = svharwood1@aol.com
phones = 408-259-7777, 408-687-8199 & 408-289-5800
faxes = 408-254-7777
mailing address =
Dr. Sterling Harwood, Esq.
Law Office of Sterling Harwood
5445 Alum Rock Ave.
San Jose, CA 95127-2613
USA
Dr. Harwood last revised this website on 10/10/08 when he did the
following:
A) added the 178th quote on human nature at the end of the answer to
FAQ14 and reminded students that he recently added 4 other quotes there;
B) renewed his recommendation for students to watch the award-winning
film "Taxi to the Dark Side" that premiered on HBO on Monday 9/29/08
and that is also available on DVD;
C) reminded students that he has added the first part of the PHIL 10
Fall 2008 EVC test bank, consisting of hundreds of questions, in FAQ21;
and
D) added the PHIL 10 Fall 2008 syllabus immediately below:
Syllabus Fall 2008 PHIL 10 Introduction to Philosophy course @ EVC,
Tu/Th 1045am-1210pm, Room PE206B, which has only one required book
costing about $11 new and about $8 used at EVC Bookstore and perhaps
less elsewhere such as amazon.com, bn.com, half.com,
ecollegetextbooks.com, or ebay.com. Here is that syllabus:
This syllabus is 5 pages long when printed out in 8-point font.
1. INSTRUCTOR: Sterling Harwood, J.D., Ph.D.
2. PHONE: 408-259-7777 (home office & 24-hour voicemail; leave all
phone messages on this voicemail). Feel free to call me anytime, since
I simply turn off my phone when I can't take any more calls. So you
won't disturb my beauty sleep!
3. FAX: 408-289-5375 (backup fax unavailable until further notice:
408-254-7777)
4. WEBSITE THAT IS CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT (Homepage):
www.sterlingharwood.com. This will fill in for our textbook until it
arrives at the campus bookstore. Our site has hundreds of pages of
material to help you answer frequently asked questions, help you write
your term paper, and generally help you excel. So remember to use
Control + F to search it for key words and remember to use the table of
contents, too. Guidelines A-Z on this website are crucial to writing
and your term paper. I plan to put them on reserve @ the request of any
student. Students who see me to establish a code can have their grades
regularly posted on this website, though I grade scantrons only once
they are full. I plan to post the answers to all previous tests on the
site so you can unofficially grade yourself by keeping track of your
answers, as I require you to do by keeping a fully completed backup
scantron form at all times after the first class. Never submit your
last backup. Make a backup to your backup before submitting your first
backup scantron. Submit only a scantron signed by Dr. Harwood and if
this is unavailable, then call that to Dr. Harwood’s attention
immediately and get him to sign a backup labeled “Backup
#1.” There will be a grade penalty (which you can make up with
extra credit) if your scantron becomes unavailable. So keep track of
your scantrons the best way you can.
5. EMAIL: svharwood1@aol.com. It is urgently important that you avoid
emailing me any attachments, since viruses are too often
unintentionally spread that way, especially while we are at war with
terrorists, including cyberterrorists. Thanks for helping me help you
by avoiding delays in my service to you due to viruses. For faster
response, call me after emailing me to let me know there's an email
from you waiting for me to answer.
6. OFFICE HOURS & OTHER TIMES AVAILABLE: Office hours are by
appointment only. I’m also usually after each class for a few
minutes and any other time by appointment. It is important to call me
promptly if you have any questions on how to do your assignments that
are not answered by this syllabus, sample papers on reserve in EVC
library, or www.sterlingharwood.com . For ease and efficiency check
those 3 other sources first before calling me, since they usually
explain matters in more detail and with more clarity than I can on the
phone. I answer calls much faster than emails, which I often check only
late at night. I will be happy to return your call with instructions if
leave your number and the question you want me to answer. I am always
happy to answer any remaining procedural questions during breaks and
after class, but not during valuable class time because we have so much
of substance to cover during that time.
7. BIO: Dr. Sterling Harwood (B.A. in Philosophy, 1980 University of
Maryland; J.D. 1983 Cornell Law School; M.A. in Philosophy, 1986
Cornell University; Ph.D. in Philosophy, 1992 Cornell University) is a
practicing attorney at law (Licensed, State Bar Number 194746; see
www.calbar.ca.gov) and is the author of Judicial Activism: A Restrained
Defense (Austin & Winfield 1996). He edited and wrote 24 chapters
of Business as Ethical & Business as Usual (Jones & Bartlett,
now Wadsworth 1995), co-edited with Michael Gorr Crime &
Punishment: Philosophic Explorations (Jones & Bartlett, now
Wadsworth 1994), and co-edited with Michael Gorr Controversies in
Criminal Law (Westview Press, 1992). He is working on a revised edition
to Judicial Activism: A Restrained Defense, for which he has been
offered a book contract by University Press of America, and on a new
textbook on critical thinking. Dr. Harwood became a practicing lawyer
in 1998. He has been teaching since 1981 and still isn't tired! He has
taught philosophy for more than 13 years in the Evergreen Valley
College/San Jose City College Community College District and has earned
Seniority Rehire Preference here. He has taught courses in philosophy
and some other departments for more than 7 years (more than 45 courses
since 1989) at San Jose State University. He has taught more than 65
courses, mainly in philosophy and sociology, at University of Phoenix
since 1998 (including online and onground) and has also taught at the
following: Cornell University; Cornell Law School; Foothill College,
San Jose City College; Evergreen Valley College; West Valley Community
College; Chabot College; Hobart & William Smith Colleges; Illinois
State University; and Masters Institute of Technology. Dr. Harwood is
married to a vivacious Vietnamese-American lady named Tina Le Harwood,
who is a Assistant Vice President at Wells Fargo Bank. They have two
delightful daughters ages 8 and 6, Heather Harwood and Holly Harwood,
respectively. The Harwood family is also proud to include a German
shepherd named Panther and a beagle named Tobey. The Harwood family
lives in San Jose, CA, where EVC is located.
8. REQUIRED TEXTBOOK
Edward Craig, Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University
Press, 2002). www.amazon.com has had this book for sale for about $9.95
new and about $5 used. We will supplement this book with free readings
from The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, which I put a link to at
the end of my www.sterlingharwood.com, and which you can find at:
http://plato.stanford.edu/
9. COURSE ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Class Participation; attendance & speaking; every class = 15%
2. Term Paper; ABC format; approved topic; due @ our final exam = 45%
3. True/False Tests, Exams & Quizzes, all extra credit; almost
every class = 40%
Note: since the term paper is worth 45%, a failing grade on the term
paper means a failing grade for the course (the remaining 55% is
insufficient to get the minimum of 60% to earn at least a D). I cannot
remember any student ever failing a class of mine after the student
submitted a term paper that qualifies to get a grade (submitted on
time, on an approved paper topic, etc.).
10. GRADING CRITERIA: Any missed time in class (for example, arriving
late to class at the start, arriving late to class after a break, or
leaving early before the start of the quiz or exam at the end of every
class) reduces your class participation grade to the extent that you
miss class time. Further, good class participation raises borderline
grades, which are common. Perfect attendance will still get a class
participation grade of only C- if you never speak in class. Perfect
attendance with only 1 unexcused absence will get a class participation
grade of D+ if you never speak in class. Perfect attendance with only 2
unexcused absences will get a class participation grade of D if you
never speak in class. Perfect attendance except for less than 3 hours
of unexcused absences gets a grade of D+ if you never speak in class.
Perfect attendance except for only 3 hours of unexcused absences will
get a class participation grade of D if you never speak in class.
Perfect attendance with more than 3 hours of unexcused absences will
get a class participation grade of D- if you never speak in class. If
you speak in class, then I will use my judgment about the quality and
quantity of your speaking to help you make up for unexcused absences in
your class participation grade and to raise your class participation
grade generally. (Obviously, I will make reasonable accommodations for
disabilities and so you may communicate in class in another way if you
are physically unable to speak.) The more you speak in class, following
my classroom management rules, the higher your class participation
grade will be. Arriving late or leaving early lower your class
participation grade in accordance to how much classtime you miss
without excuse. You have the option to earn an A on class participation
if you give a class presentation of 3 ABC sets on one of the approved
paper topics. See my 26 guidelines A-Z on www.sterlingharwood.com for
more info on how I grade your papers. These guidelines are to be read
within the context of any applicable Faculty Handbook guidelines for
grading and are meant to be a supplement to them to give you more
specifics and help.
Requirements for an Incomplete: The student must have the excuse of an
unavoidable circumstance preventing completion of the course on time,
and the student must use my voicemail or email to notify me of this
circumstance on the earliest possible day. Only I will make the initial
determination on what circumstances were/are unavoidable. Students may
appeal to our Dean, if necessary.
11. MAKE-UP POLICY: I allow some students to make up missed exams by
answering extra questions at the final exam, but only if those students
have written an alleged excuse for missing those exams and submitted
that writing to me more than 24 hours before the start of the final
exam. Further, you may make up work only if the excuse of an
unavoidable circumstance prevents you from submitting your work on time
and you use my voicemail or email to notify me of the unavoidable
circumstance on the earliest possible day. Only I make the initial
determination on what circumstances were/are unavoidable. Students may
appeal to our Dean, if necessary. Papers submitted late without excuse
mean that the student cannot receive a grade of A in our course, but it
is generally better to submit the paper late than never to submit it.
Papers submitted late by more than 24 hours without excuse mean the
student cannot receive a grade higher than C in our course. Papers
submitted more than 48 hours late without excuse mean the student
cannot receive a grade higher than D in our course. Papers submitted
without excuse after grades are due to be submitted to admissions and
records cannot count at all toward your grade.
12. GRADING SCALE: I use letter grades on a 0 (F) to 4.0 (A) scale on
papers and I use points for tests (quizzes or exams). Convert points on
tests into letter grades as follows: 0-59% = F; 60-62% = D-; 63-66% =
D; 67-69% = D+; 70-72% = C-; 73-76% = C; 77-79% = C+; 80-82% = B-;
83-86% = B; 87-89% = B+; 90-92% = A-; 93-100% = A. EVC does not allow
grades of A+, but I informally keep track of them, so that I can use
them only in writing a letter of recommendation for you if you receive
a course grade of A and ask me to write one for you. I hope everyone
earns an A. I do not grade on a curve where students compete with each
other for spaces along the curve. Everyone can earn an A. Another
student earning an A does not make it any less likely that you will
earn an A. We have cooperation not cutthroat competition in this
course, but of course you may not cheat or plagiarize. I plan to give a
failing grade for the course to any student I catch committing
plagiarism. Here is the basic policy on honesty.
13. COLLEGE HONESTY POLICY: The College and I expect students to write
their own papers and to avoid copying from another student or author
(which is plagiarism). Consequences of such actions will lead to a
reduction of your course grade to F for the class, suspension from the
class, and may lead to expulsion from the college. Violations of
standards include but are not limited to the following: altering
grades; altering or forging college documents, records or
identification; copying from someone's test or allowing someone to copy
your test; copying from an author's work without giving credit
(plagiarism; and Dr. Harwood adds that changing a few words here and
there does not prevent plagiarism); doing an assignment (for example, a
term paper or essay) for another student or asking, paying, bribing, or
blackmailing someone to do an assignment for you; sitting in for
someone in class or on a test or having someone sit in class for you if
not authorized by the instructor; submitting work previously presented
in another class ifnot authorized by the instructor; during an exam,
using or consulting other test or course material not authorized by the
instructor; possession of an examination or materials not authorized by
the instructor. Consequences may include one or more of the following
actions by appropriate college officials: receiving a failing grade on
the test, paper or exam; course grade lowered, possibly resulting in
course failure (and Dr. Harwood adds that he will fail for the course
any student caught cheating or plagiarizing); verbal or written
reprimand/warning; suspension for a longer specified time; expulsion
from college.
14. ATTENDANCE POLICY: "Students are expected to maintain regular and
prompt attendance in all classes. Instructors shall maintain a record
of students' attendance in class." VI. Instruction Policies 6070.1
12/19/89. Similar policies apply to all colleges and universities where
I teach. See your counselor for details.
15. WITHDRAWAL/DROP POLICY: It is the ultimate responsibility of the
student to formally drop the class. You should not rely on the
instructor to drop you froma class for non-attendance. At EVC, you may
drop by telephone using the STAR system (223-0300) or by completing the
proper forms in the Office of Admissions and Records. To be eligible
for a refund of fees and/or prevent a recording grade of 'F' or 'W,'
you must drop the class on or before posted date. Similar policies are
in effect @ FH. See your counselor or admissions and records for
important details.
16. GENERAL EDUCATION LEARNING OUTCOMES: These apply mainly to EVC but
FH has somewhat similar outcomes. General eduction is the college's
commitment to provide students with a broad set of knowledge and skills
that will help each student in their process of becoming a well-rounded
healthy person equipped to participate wisely in the health of our
community. It requires a carefully selected set of courses and
activities on the part of the college and active reflection on the part
of the student. This course participates in the general eduction
process by including the following Gerneral Education Outcomes:
improving the student's experience and abilities in the areas listed
below. These outcomes contribute to the General Education areas of
emphasis stated in the accreditation standards and District General
Education Philosophy (pending) checked below:
1. civic responsibility (local, national, global); civility; computer
literacy; critical analysis/logical thinking; cultural diversity;
ethical principles; historical sensitivity; information competency;
oral communication including speaking and listening; political
involvement (local, national, global); social responsibility (local,
national, global); teamwork (ability to work and solve problems as a
team); written communication.
17. COURSE DESCRIPTION & OVERVIEW: The course catalog says:
“Introductory survey of basic principles and concerns of
philosophy and of philosophical questions. Examines selected concepts
concerned with the meaning and nature of reality, knowledge, morals,
religion, aesthetics and issues of social and political concern.”
We will learn much introductory knowledge about philosophy generally
and the following in particular: 1) social and political philosophy,
including just war theory and alleged justifications of violence; 2)
philosophy of religion; 3) ethics and moral philosophy; 4)
epistemology; 5) ontology and metaphysics; 6) logic and critical
reasoning; 7) legal philosophy; 8) rationalism versus empiricism; 9)
theism versus atheism; 10) realism versus antirealism; 11) materialism
versus idealism versus dualism; 12) philosophy of art and aesthetics.
For a list of questions we plan to consider, see the list of term paper
topics in this syllabus. We will learn 32 fallacies, errors in
reasoning, to avoid. We will learn the definitions and applications of
soundness, validity, strength, and truth in evaluating arguments as
reliable or unreliable guides to the truth of their respective
conclusions. We will study probability, including how it is applied to
gambling and other games of chance. When engaged in moral and political
philosophy, we will examine and apply 5 sets of moral principles
– egalitarianism, libertarianism, utilitarianism, perfectionism
(also known as virtue ethics) and prima facie principles – to a
wide variety of topics, including the current war in Iraq, the current
war in Afghanistan, the current war against terrorism, abortion,
surrogate motherhood, cloning humans, human stem cell research, gun
control, euthanasia (also known as mercy killing), gay marriage,
affirmative action, capitalism, socialism, globalization, NAFTA,
nuclear power, global warming, acid rain, endangered species,
pollution, and much more.
18. FORTY-TWO APPROVED PAPER TOPICS FROM WHICH YOU CHOOSE ONLY 1:
Approved topics for your paper are announced below, but all papers must
be done in the ABC format exemplified imperfectly but usefully in
sample papers on reserve in EVC library, explained in class and on
www.sterlingharwood.com . Approved topics: You must compare a minimum
of 6 quotations about ethics from any published and named writer(s) who
try to give arguments or answers to the questions below. If you wish to
use an anonymous quotation, then you must get Dr. Harwood’s
written permission in advance. There is no maximum number of quotations
or minimum or maximum requirements for the length of your paper. I
hereby approve the following paper (and presentation) topics:
1) Pick any two thinkers listed in the index of the textbook listed
above – or that you get Dr. Harwood to approve in writing in
advance of your work on your paper – and argue that one of the
two has a position on a philosophical issue that is more defensible
than the other.
2) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com (which
are also in Ch.4 of this book on reserve in our campus library:
Sterling Harwood, Business as Ethical and Business as Usual), has
America’s current war in Iraq been moral?;
3) Does human nature exist and, if it does, is it primarily good,
primarily evil or primarily a mixed bag, and is it more fixed than
flexible or more flexible than fixed?
4) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com has
America's current war on terrorism been moral?
5) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, should
prostitution be legalized, as it is in some counties of Nevada?;
6) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, should
pornographic films and books be legal?;
7) Does God exist (that is, which is closer to the truth, atheism or
theism)?
8) Is causal determinism compatible with human freedom and moral
responsibility and, if so, how?
9) Which is closer to the truth, empiricism or rationalism?
10) Is moral relativism true?
11) Is relativism about all human knowledge true?
12) Is moral skepticism true?
13) Is skepticism about all human knowledge true?
14) Which is closer to the truth, materialism, dualism or idealism?
15) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is
comparable worth moral?;
16) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is
feminism moral?;
17) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is
capitalism more moral than socialism?;
18) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is Rush
Limbaugh right about environmentalism?;
19) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, what
currently illegal drugs (if any) should the government legalize and
under what circumstances?;
20) Based on facts and logic generally, is moral relativism more
justified than moral realism?;
21) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is more
gun control than we already have morally required?;
22) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is
cloning of humans moral?;
23) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is
capital punishment (also known as the death penalty or execution) moral?
25) Which is closer to the truth, Darwinism, creationism or Intelligent
Design Theory?
26) What’s the most logical explanation of the evidence for
extraterrestrial UFOs, and what would be the greatest significance
philosophically of discovering the existence of alien life from other
planets?
27) Addressing some philosophical issues of social or political
concern, and using the assassination of President Kennedy as a test
case to apply logical principles of weighing evidence and evaluating
argument, what’s the most logical explanation of President
Kennedy’s death (including whether there was a conspiracy and
whether Oswald was guilty as charged)?
28) Addressing some philosophical issues of social or political
concern, and using the death of Princess Diana as a test case to apply
logical principles of weighing evidence and evaluating argument,
what’s the most logical explanation of Princess Diana’s
death, which is still under official government investigation 8 years
after she died (including whether there was a conspiracy to kill her).
29) Based on the 5 moral principles on sterlingharwood.com, is abortion
moral?;
30) Based on the 5 moral principles on sterlingharwood.com, is any form
of affirmative action moral?;
31) Based on the 5 moral principles on sterlingharwood.com, is
surrogate motherhood immoral?;
32) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is
euthanasia (mercy killing) moral?;
33) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is gay
marriage moral?;
34) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is gay
adoption moral?;
35) Is existentialism defensible?
36) Is phenomenology defensible?
37) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is stem
cell research moral?;
38) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is
allowing gays in the military moral?;
39) Is astrology logical?
40) Which of the theories in philosophy of art discussed on
www.sterlingharwood.com is most defensible?
41) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is
America's current war in Afghanistan been moral?
42) What is the meaning of life?
19. IMPORTANT NOTE: One of the biggest mistakes students make in this
class is writing on one of the topics above and failing to include any
of the 5 moral principles. That mistake means you wrote on an
unapproved topic and can get no credit for your paper. The same is true
if you fail to put your paper into the required ABC format. If you want
another topic approved, besides the topics approved above, see me to
try to get approval before you begin writing, but all topics approved
require discussing as many of the 5 moral principles as possible in
your C sections of the ABC format. Sample papers in ABC format will be
available for you to read in EVC Library. No assignment has any minimum
or maximum length, but you must evaluate (using our ABC format) at
least 6 -- and preferably as many more than 6 as you can -- quotations
in the final version of your paper. I expect all students to do their
best and to enjoy the course. Enjoy your work enough to take the time
to think well about it, re-read it and proofread it carefully. See
guideline R of guidelines A-Z on www.sterlingharwood.com . All written
work must be typed (or word-processed) double-spaced with 1" margins on
all 4 sides of regular (no onion skin) white 8 1/2" x 11" paper. This
means that each page should have about 10 words per line and 25 lines
per page (for a total of about 255 words per page maximum). Each page
of your papers, except perhaps your last page, MUST have a minimum of
about 245 words following the margins described above. I expect
everyone to cooperate well in his or her learning team when we break
into learning teams in class. I expect us to think critically and thus
be logical and reasonable throughout the course. This obviously
includes treating each other with patience and fairness.
20. SAVE YOUR WORK: I require that you save copies of all work you
submit for a grade, and keep these copies for at least one year after
you receive your grade for the course. Failure to save your work for
one year means that you may lose any appeal of your grade for the paper
and for the course. I require a copy of your paper, and all or almost
all other graded work, to consider any appeal of your grade for the
course. Protecting privacy prevents production of information about
grades of any particular student by email, fax or phone. I already
announced this policy in our syllabus and repeatedly announced this
policy in our class. If you wish to discuss your grade, then you need
to make an appointment to meet me and bring your student photo ID to
our meeting. If a student has a problem, the problem is usually that 1)
I never received a paper or 2) never received a paper on time or 3) I
never received a paper in the proper format (for example, ABC format
and with moral principles for papers on topics in moral philosophy such
as, for example, affirmative action, euthanasia, capital punishment,
abortion, gun control, surrogate motherhood, gay marriage, and
cloning). So if – repeat if – your problem is that you
think I lack your paper, then feel free to fax, mail or email -- no
attachments accepted -- me your paper and ask me to update your grade
in person by appointment, if possible. I require that you report to me
any work you fail to receive back without a grade by the next class
after the class in which you allegedly submitted the missing work. You
must get a signed receipt from me during that next class or else your
report of missing work you submitted will be rejected as untimely and
you risk losing credit for doing that work and being ineligible to redo
that work if it remains missing. This applies to index cards submitted
for a grade (extra credit or otherwise) and all other graded work. This
new rule is in response to a student last semester who claimed in an
untimely way that he submitted some index cards and never received them
back. I have doubts about whether the student ever submitted the
supposedly missing work on time, since no one else reported such
missing work and it seems highly unlikely that his work alone would
disappear class after class while others’ work failed to
disappear. If you experience a disappearing index card (submitted but
never returned), then I require you to make a backup photocopy (or
handwritten copy) of all future index cards submitted. You must get a
signed receipt from me for the final exam, any submission of any
version of your term paper, and any quiz, exam or test worth more than
12 points. Failure to get that signed receipt means that if the work
disappears, then I may decide to give you no credit for it and may
refuse to allow you to make it up.
21. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT RULES INCLUDE:
A. No blurting = raise your hand and patiently wait for Dr. Harwood to
call on you before speaking. I certainly plan promptly to call on
everyone who raises his or her hand.
B. No murmuring = avoid side-conversations that are loud enough for Dr.
Harwood to hear. Dr. Harwood has excellent hearing, so he recommends
that you pass notes back and forth in a non-distracting way rather than
murmur. Murmuring tends to distract you from what Dr. Harwood is saying
and tends to distract other students and sometimes even risks
distracting Dr. Harwood. Stay focused on the class presentation, take
detailed notes (especially since all tests are open note), and face the
front of the class.
C. No lumbering = stay in your seat during class, unless you need to
leave the room to take a bathroom break of course. Obviously there's no
need to ask permission to leave the room; just do so as quietly as you
can.
D. No consuming of or engaging in outside material during class = for
example, no quilting, no reading of newspapers or magazines that I
haven't assigned, and no listening to headphones.
E. No impatience = patiently listen to and follow Dr. Harwood's
directions, instructions, and announcements. Patience is indeed a
virtue (and a key to happiness). If you have a question about
instructions, then wait until the next break or after class to discuss
it unless you raise your hand during or right after Dr. Harwood gives
the instructions in class.
F. Bring several blank 5” x 8” index cards (lined or
unlined doesn’t matter; color doesn’t matter) and at least
2 blank Scantron 882 forms to every class, starting with our second
class. Do not try to use any differently sized index card or any other
form instead of those specified above. Index cards must be of
commercial quality and not homemade cards. 5” x 8” cards
are generally available @ the campus store, Long’s Drugs, Office
Depot, Office Max, Staples, etc.
22. THE BOTTOM LINE: BIGGEST MISTAKES STUDENTS MAKE IN THIS COURSE =
Tied for 1st. Failing to read carefully the instructions in this
syllabus, and failing to get the required receipt for submitting your
term paper, which means that if someone takes your paper from my inbox
or your paper is otherwise misplaced that you will get no credit for
submitting it. So get a hardcopy receipt from me when you submit your
hardcopy or submit your paper by email early enough to get a receipt
from me by return email. I require getting a signed receipt (or email
receipt from my aol address) from me for submitting the paper;
that’s the only evidence for submitting the paper that counts if
I do not have your paper for whatever reason. We will not have a
mini-trial or other proceding where you try to bring witnesses or any
other evidence instead of the receipt, which is required.
Tied for 1st. Writing a paper on an unapproved paper topic. This will
lead to an F in the course unless you correct this problem with another
term paper on an approved paper topic (and meeting all other
requirements) by the deadline of the end of the final exam.
Tied for 1st. Failing to use ABC format for the term paper (and any
oral presentation). You will fail the course if you fail to submit a
term paper in ABC format by the end of the final exam.
Tied for 1st. Failing to include any of the 5 moral principles on
www.sterlingharwood.com when doing assignments on a topic that includes
the words “Based on the 5 moral principles.” You will fail
the course if you submit such a paper by the end of the final exam.
6. Failing to ask me questions in a timely way after reading this
syllabus and the FAQs on www.sterlingharwood.com. The syllabus and this
top 12 list and the table of contents to www.sterlingharwood.com are
great to try to find the answers even faster and better than I can give
them to you off the top of my head (relying on memory is imperfect;
written rules are best).
7. Missing time in class (absences, late arrivals, early exits that are
not earned).
8. Failing to put a grid on all graded work. The grid = draw a cross
& put as follows: upper left = name of student; upper right
“PHIL 60” or “PHIL 1”; lower left = description
of the work submitted; lower right = date submitted into my in-box (not
the date you did the work or the date it was due if you are submitting
it late; late work must say how many days late it is to get any credit
at all; the later it is, the less credit you will receive but
it’s always better late than never until the final deadline at
the final exam, which will be during our last class).
9. Combining more than one paper (or presentation) topic in the same
assignment.
10. Failing to read the sample paper on www.sterlingharwood.com and on
reserve in the library. Note: on www.sterlingharwood.com,
‘FAQ’ = frequently asked question.
11. Failing to follow guidelines A & U by using a title and
headings, respectively, as signposts to guide the readers of their
papers and presentations.
12. Failing to follow guideline A by failing to make the title of their
paper or presentation a claim that indicates an approved paper topic
and the student’s stand on that topic.
13. Failing to save the aol website as a word file & failing to use
the Control + F search and the table of contents in FAQ2 to search the
website
14. Failing to realize that www.sterlingharwood.com clearly states that
students may of course use the quotes I posted on
www.sterlingharwood.com in the A sections of their papers &
presentations in ABC format
15. Failure to take good notes, since all our tests, quizzes, and exams
are open note (and open book).
********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
FAQ3: What's my grade?
Here are the codenames and grades for them. To learn the codename that
Dr. Harwood has assigned to you, simply see him and show him your
authentic photo ID.
Codes & Grades
To read your extra credit and attendance, note that the letters refer
to the months and the numbers after the letters refer to the date of
the month on which the assignment was submitted and the points earned.
'/' indicates a quiz, test, or exam was involved (I use those 3 terms
interchangeably). The number before the '/' (which is called a virgule
or slash) is the number of questions you answered correctly on the
exam, and the number after the '/' is the number of questions on the
exam in question. Note the following examples as a key to translation:
'1j30' means 1 extra credit point earned on January 30th; '1/1f2' means
you answered 1 of 1 question right on Feb. 2; '27/30m31' means you
answered 27 of 30 questions right on march 31; '2/3may1' means you
answered 2 of 3 questions right on may 1; ‘2S19’ means 2
extra credit points received on Sept. 19, ‘1S27’ means 1
extra credit point received on Sept. 27, ‘3O6’ means 3
points received on Oct., ‘4D1’ means 4 points received on
December 1, 2006, ‘0S27’ means attended on September 27,
2006; ‘0O18’ means attended on October 18, 2006, etc. Call
me @ 408-259-7777, email me or ask me in class if you need help in
understanding these abbreviations or anything else on the website or in
the course. Note: perhaps not all the cards graded and returned to you
have been entered into my computer yet (I sometmes have handwritten
notes), but if you want to speed this process or double check by
showing me your graded cards that fail to appear below, then just see
me after class or perhaps during a video or other class exercise in
class. If your codename is not listed below, then you will need to fill
out another code card before I can post your grades.
Here are the grades:
PHIL
10; Section 204: Reg ID 46123;
Tu/Th 1045am-1210pm; Introduction to Philosophy
‘cp+’
= good class participation;
‘cp-‘ = poor class participation; ‘0s11’ means,
for example, attended on Sept.
11; ‘3o2’ means, for example, 3 extra credit points earned
on Oct. 21; ‘1/1n4’
means, for example, 1 of 1 quiz question answered correctly on Nov. 4
Tests
9/9/08
extra credit quiz
9/16/08
extra credit quiz
9/18/08
extra credit quiz
9/30/08
20. F
21. T
10/02/08
7. F
8. F
9. F
10. T
11. T
12. T
13. F
14. F
15. T
16. T
17. T
18. F
19. T
22. T
23. T
24. T
25. T
10/7/08
10/09/08
10/14/08
10/23/08
26. T
27. F
28. T
29. T
30. T
31. F
32. T
33. F
34. T
35. T
36. T
37. T
38. T
39. F
40. T
10/30/08
********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
FAQ4: What's the syllabus for PHIL 60 EVC Spring 2008?
FAQ4: What's the syllabus for PHIL 60 EVC Spring 2008?
PHIL 60: Logic and Critical Thinking; Spring 2008; 1215-140pm; Room
__________. 3 units; Reg ID ___________; Section __________
Note: the schedule of readings and assignments is subject to change.
For all courses this term, EVC has already changed the deadline to drop
without a ‘W’ to 9/28/07.
1. INSTRUCTOR: Sterling Harwood, J.D., Ph.D, Attorney at Law. For a bio
of Dr. Harwood, see near the end of the syllabus.
2. PHONE: 408-259-7777 (home office & 24-hour voicemail; leave all
phone messages on this voicemail). Feel free to call me anytime, since
I simply turn off my phone when I can't take any more calls. So you
won't disturb my beauty sleep!
3. FAX: 408-254-7777
4. WEBSITE (Homepage): www.sterlingharwood.com. This will fill in for
our textbook until it arrives at the campus bookstore. Our site has
hundreds of pages of material to help you answer frequently asked
questions, help you write your term paper, and generally help you
excel. So remember to use Control + F to search it for key words and
remember to use the table of contents, too. Guidelines A-Z on this
website are crucial to writing and your term paper. I plan to put them
on reserve @ the request of any student. Students who see me to
establish a code can have their grades regularly posted on this
website, though I grade scantrons only once they are completed at the
final exam. I plan to post the answers to all previous tests on the
site so you can unofficially grade yourself by keeping track of your
answers, as I require you to do by keeping a fully completed backup
scantron form at all times after the first class. Never submit your
last backup of your work.
5. EMAIL: svharwood1@aol.com Do NOT email me any attachments, since
viruses are too often unintentionally spread that way, especially while
we are at war with terrorists, including cyberterrorists. Thanks for
helping me help you by avoiding delays in my service to you due to
viruses. For faster response, call me after emailing me to let me know
there's an email from you waiting for me to answer.
6. OFFICE HOURS & OTHER TIMES AVAILABLE: Office hours are by
appointment only and the best times are Monday through Friday,
especially Friday, 1215-115pm. I’m also usually after each class
for a few minutes and any other time by appointment. It is important to
call me promptly if you have any questions on how to do your
assignments that are not answered by this syllabus, sample papers on
reserve in EVC library, or www.sterlingharwood.com . For ease and
efficiency for you please check those 3 other sources first before
calling me, since they usually explain matters in more detail and with
more clarity than I can off the cuff or on the phone. I answer calls
much faster than emails, which I often check only late at night. I will
be happy to return your call with instructions if leave your number and
the question you want me to answer. I am always happy to answer any
remaining procedural questions during breaks and after class, but
especially after the add period ends I try to reduce somewhat answering
procedural questions during valuable class time because we have so much
of substance to cover during that time.
7. REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:
a) W. Kent Wilson, Logic: The Essentials of Logic (REA publishers;
www.rea.com, 2003); available in our campus bookstore for about $8 or
less.
b) Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
(Random House/Bantom, 1996), available in our campus bookstore for
about $12 or less.
8. REQUIRED MATERIALS:
a) Students must bring at least 2 blank scantron 882 (the same as
882ES) forms to every class after 9/5/07;
b) Students must bring at least 1 5”x8” blank index card to
every class after 9/5/07.
9. GRADED COURSE ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Class Participation; attendance & speaking; every class = 15%
but the total number of acceptable absences without a good excuse is 2
(more than 2 such absences means you will fail the course); tardiness
reduces one’s class participation grade in proportion to the
amount one’s tardiness I observe (for example, 85 overall minutes
of tardiness spread over several classes is equivalent to missing an
entire class)
2. Term Paper; ABC format; approved topic; due @ our final exam = 45%
3. True/False Tests, Exams & Quizzes, all extra credit; every class
after 9/5/07 = 40%
Note: since the term paper is worth 45%, a failing grade on the term
paper means a failing grade for the course (the remaining 55% is
insufficient to get the minimum of 60% to earn at least a D). I cannot
remember any student ever failing a class of mine after the student
submitted a term paper that qualifies to get a grade (submitted on
time, on an approved paper topic, etc.).
10. GRADING CRITERIA: Page 134 of the course catalog lists only letter
grades (‘L’) for course grades and makes no provision for
any C/NC grading option. Any missed time in class (for example,
arriving late to class at the start, arriving late to class after a
break, or leaving early before the start of the quiz or exam at the end
of every class) reduces your class participation grade to the extent
that you miss class time. Further, good class participation raises
borderline grades, which are common. Perfect attendance will still get
a class participation grade of only C- if you never speak in class.
Perfect attendance with only 1 unexcused absence will get a class
participation grade of D+ if you never speak in class. Perfect
attendance with only 2 unexcused absences will get a class
participation grade of D if you never speak in class. Perfect
attendance except for less than 3 hours of unexcused absences gets a
grade of D+ if you never speak in class. Perfect attendance except for
only 3 hours of unexcused absences will get a class participation grade
of D if you never speak in class. Perfect attendance with more than 3
hours of unexcused absences will get a class participation grade of D-
if you never speak in class. If you speak in class, then I will use my
judgment about the quality and quantity of your speaking to help you
make up for unexcused absences in your class participation grade and to
raise your class participation grade generally. (Obviously, I will make
reasonable accommodations for disabilities and so you may communicate
in class in another way if you are physically unable to speak.) The
more you speak in class, following my classroom management rules, the
higher your class participation grade will be. Arriving late or leaving
early lower your class participation grade in accordance to how much
classtime you miss without excuse. You have the option to earn an A on
class participation if you give a class presentation of 3 ABC sets on
one of the approved paper topics. See my 26 guidelines A-Z on
www.sterlingharwood.com for more info on how I grade your papers. These
guidelines are to be read within the context of any applicable Faculty
Handbook guidelines for grading and are meant to be a supplement to
them to give you more specifics and help.
Requirements for an Incomplete: The student must have the excuse of an
unavoidable circumstance preventing completion of the course on time,
and the student must use my voicemail or email to notify me of this
circumstance on the earliest possible day. Only I will make the initial
determination on what circumstances were/are unavoidable. Students may
appeal to our Dean, Dean Mark Gonzales, if necessary.
11. MAKE-UP POLICY: I allow some students to make up missed exams by
answering extra questions at the final exam, but only if those students
have written an alleged excuse for missing those exams and submitted
that writing to me more than 24 hours before the start of the final
exam. Further, you may make up work only if the excuse of an
unavoidable circumstance prevents you from submitting your work on time
and you use my voicemail or email to notify me of the unavoidable
circumstance on the earliest possible day. Only I make the initial
determination on what circumstances were/are unavoidable. Students may
appeal to our Dean, if necessary. Papers submitted late without excuse
mean that the student cannot receive a grade of A in our course, but it
is generally better to submit the paper late than never to submit it.
Papers submitted late by more than 24 hours without excuse mean the
student cannot receive a grade higher than C in our course. Papers
submitted more than 48 hours late without excuse mean the student
cannot receive a grade higher than D in our course. Papers submitted
without excuse after grades are due to be submitted to admissions and
records cannot count at all toward your grade.
12. GRADING SCALE: I use letter grades on a 0 (F) to 4.0 (A) scale on
papers and I use points for tests (quizzes or exams). Convert points on
tests into letter grades as follows: 0-59% = F; 60-62% = D-; 63-66% =
D; 67-69% = D+; 70-72% = C-; 73-76% = C; 77-79% = C+; 80-82% = B-;
83-86% = B; 87-89% = B+; 90-92% = A-; 93-100% = A. EVC does not allow
course grades using a plus or a minus (for example, A+), but I
informally keep track of them, so that I can use them only in writing a
letter of recommendation for you if you receive a course grade of A and
ask me to write one for you. I hope everyone earns an A. I avoid
grading on a curve where students compete with each other for spaces
along the curve. Everyone can earn an A. Another student earning an A
does not make it any less likely that you will earn an A. We have
cooperation rather than cut-throat competition in this course, but of
course you may not cheat or plagiarize. I plan to give a failing grade
for the course to any student I catch committing plagiarism. The next
section has the college honest policy.
13. COLLEGE HONESTY POLICY: The College and I expect students to write
their own papers and to avoid copying from another student or author
(which is plagiarism). Consequences of such actions will lead to a
reduction of your course grade to F for the class, suspension from the
class, and may lead to expulsion from the college. Violations of
standards include but are not limited to the following: altering
grades; altering or forging college documents, records or
identification; copying from someone's test or allowing someone to copy
your test; copying from an author's work without giving credit
(plagiarism; and Dr. Harwood adds that changing a few words here and
there does not prevent plagiarism); doing an assignment (for example, a
term paper or essay) for another student or asking, paying, bribing, or
blackmailing someone to do an assignment for you; sitting in for
someone in class or on a test or having someone sit in class for you if
not authorized by the instructor; submitting work previously presented
in another class if not authorized by the instructor; during an exam,
using or consulting other test or course material not authorized by the
instructor; possession of an examination or materials not authorized by
the instructor. Consequences may include one or more of the following
actions by appropriate college officials: receiving a failing grade on
the test, paper or exam; course grade lowered, possibly resulting in
course failure (and Dr. Harwood adds that he will fail for the course
any student caught cheating or plagiarizing); verbal or written
reprimand/warning; suspension for a longer specified time; expulsion
from college. See pages 167-168 of the course catalog on Student
Disciplinary Procedures and Complain/Grievance Policy, which I
incorporate by reference here.
14. ATTENDANCE POLICY: "Students are expected to maintain regular and
prompt attendance in all classes. Instructors shall maintain a record
of students' attendance in class." VI. Instruction Policies 6070.1
12/19/89. Similar policies apply to all colleges and universities where
I teach. See your counselor for details. Class participation is 15% of
your course grade. Missing the last 2 classes before Census Day
(9/17/07), that is missing class on 9/10/07 and 9/12/07, without
letting me know by phone by 9/12/07 310pm will lead me to line out your
name on the Census Roster and that will probably lead admissions and
records to drop you from the class. See Class Participation under
grading above.
15. WITHDRAWAL/DROP POLICY: There is a typo in the hardcopy version of
the schedule of classes. The correct deadline to drop without receiving
a ‘W’ is 9/28/07. Sunday 9/16/07 is the last day to add via
an add code. It is the ultimate responsibility of the student to
formally drop the class. You should not rely on the instructor to drop
you from a class for non-attendance. At EVC, you may drop by telephone
using the StaReg (408-223-0300) or by completing the proper forms in
the Office of Admissions and Records. To be eligible for a refund of
fees and/or prevent a recording grade of 'F' or 'W,' you must drop the
class on or before the deadline. See your counselor or admissions and
records for important details. Wed. 11/21/07 is the deadline to drop
(in-person) our class with a ‘W’ on your record. Just
telling Dr. Harwood that you want to drop the class does not
necessarily drop you from the class; you must take responsibility for
meeting the deadlines to drop.
16. GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES & LEARNING
OBJECTIVES: These apply to EVC general education courses, which
includes our course. General education is the college's commitment to
provide students with a broad set of knowledge and skills that will
help each student in their process of becoming a well-rounded healthy
person equipped to participate wisely in the health of our community.
It requires a carefully selected set of courses and activities on the
part of the college and active reflection on the part of the student.
This course participates in the general education process by including
the following General Education Outcomes: improving the student's
experience and abilities in the areas listed below. These outcomes
contribute to the General Education areas of emphasis stated in the
accreditation standards and District General Education Philosophy
(pending) checked below:
civic responsibility (local, national, global); civility; computer
literacy; critical analysis/logical thinking; cultural diversity;
ethical principles; historical sensitivity; information competency;
oral communication including speaking and listening; political
involvement (local, national, global); social responsibility (local,
national, global); teamwork (ability to work and solve problems as a
team); written communication.
Learning objectives include acquiring or improving the ability to: 1)
distinguish between formal and informal logic; 2) assess the basic
forms of arguments; 3) demonstrate the basic skills in critical
thinking through written and oral expression; 4) articulate the basic
types of informal fallacies; 5) distinguish the basic misuses and
abuses of argument forms and structures; 6) perform the basic
operations of formal, sentential and symbolic logic; 7) demonstrate the
basic skills in truth function logic; 8) distinguish between logical
conditions; 9) describe the basic forms of formal logical fallacies;
10) articulate the basic forms of scientific, causal and statistical
fallacies; 11) articulate, communicate, express and present a complete
argument on a complex subject matter.
17. COURSE DESCRIPTION & OVERVIEW: Page 134 of the EVC course
catalog says:
“This is an introductory course in informal logic and critical
reasoning. Students are instructed in the practical applications of
inferential, inductive and deductive reasoning, problem
analysis/resolution, the logic systems entailed by language,
word-functions, definition, and common fallacies of relevance and
ambiguity. There is a strong emphasis on written expression and the
application of critical thinking akills in a series of composition
assignments.”
Here are some more specifics to try to build on the above course
description. For a list of questions we plan to consider, see the list
of term paper topics in this syllabus. We will learn 32 fallacies,
errors in reasoning, to avoid. We will learn the definitions and
applications of soundness, validity, strength, and truth in evaluating
arguments as reliable or unreliable guides to the truth of their
respective conclusions. We will study probability, including how it is
applied to gambling and other games and problems of chance. Concerning
practical applications of reasoning, when exploring reasoning in moral
and political philosophy, we plan to examine and apply arguments using
5 sets of moral principles – egalitarianism, libertarianism,
utilitarianism, perfectionism (also known as virtue ethics) and prima
facie principles – to a wide variety of hot topics, including the
current war in Iraq, the current war in Afghanistan, the current war
against terrorism, abortion, surrogate motherhood, cloning humans,
human stem cell research, gun control, euthanasia (also known as mercy
killing), gay marriage, affirmative action, capitalism, socialism,
globalization, NAFTA, illegal immigration, nuclear power, global
warming, acid rain, endangered species, pollution, and much more.
18. APPROVED PAPER TOPICS FROM WHICH YOU MUST CHOOSE ONLY ONE TOPIC:
Approved topics for your paper are announced below, but all papers must
be done in the ABC format exemplified imperfectly but usefully in
sample papers on reserve in EVC library, explained in class and on
www.sterlingharwood.com . Approved topics: You must compare a minimum
of 6 quotations from any published and named writer(s) (wikipedia does
not count as published; anonymous quotes do not count as being from
named writers) who try to give arguments or answers to the questions
below. If you wish to use an anonymous quotation, then you must get Dr.
Harwood’s written permission in advance. There is no maximum
number of quotations or minimum or maximum requirements for the length
of your paper. I hereby approve the following paper (and optional oral
presentation) topics:
1) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com (which
are also in Ch.4 of this book on reserve in our campus library:
Sterling Harwood, Business as Ethical and Business as Usual), has
America’s current war in Iraq been moral?;
2) Pick any two thinkers listed in the index of Sagan’s textbook
listed above – or that you get Dr. Harwood to approve in writing
in advance of your work on your paper – and argue that one of the
two has a position on a philosophical issue that is more defensible
than the other.
3) Is astrology logical?
4) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com has
America's current war on terrorism been moral?
5) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, should
prostitution be legalized, as it is in some counties of Nevada?;
6) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, should
pornographic films and books be legal?;
7) Does God exist (that is, which is closer to the truth, atheism or
theism)?
8) Is causal determinism compatible with human freedom and moral
responsibility and, if so, how?
9) Which is closer to the truth, empiricism or rationalism?
10) Is moral relativism true?
11) Is relativism about all human knowledge true?
12) Is moral skepticism true?
13) Is skepticism about all human knowledge true?
14) Which is closer to the truth, materialism, dualism or idealism?
15) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is
comparable worth moral?;
16) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is
feminism moral?;
17) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is
capitalism more moral than socialism?;
18) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is Rush
Limbaugh right about environmentalism?;
19) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, what
currently illegal drugs (if any) should the government legalize and
under what circumstances?;
20) Based on facts and logic generally, is moral relativism more
justified than moral realism?;
21) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is more
gun control than we already have morally required?;
22) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is
cloning of humans moral?;
23) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is
capital punishment (also known as the death penalty or execution) moral?
24) What’s the best logical assessment of the evidence for and
against Bigfoot’s existence?
25) Which is closer to the truth, Darwinism, creationism or Intelligent
Design Theory?
26) What’s the most logical explanation of the evidence for
extraterrestrial UFOs, and what would be the greatest significance
philosophically of discovering the existence of alien life from other
planets?
27) Addressing some philosophical issues of social or political
concern, and using the assassination of President Kennedy as a test
case to apply logical principles of weighing evidence and evaluating
argument, what’s the most logical explanation of President
Kennedy’s death (including whether there was a conspiracy and
whether Oswald was guilty as charged)?
28) Addressing some philosophical issues of social or political
concern, and using the death of Princess Diana as a test case to apply
logical principles of weighing evidence and evaluating argument,
what’s the most logical explanation of Princess Diana’s
death, which is still under official government investigation 8 years
after she died (including whether there was a conspiracy to kill her).
29) Based on the 5 moral principles on sterlingharwood.com, is abortion
moral?;
30) Based on the 5 moral principles on sterlingharwood.com, is any form
of affirmative action moral?;
31) Based on the 5 moral principles on sterlingharwood.com, is
surrogate motherhood immoral?;
32) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is
euthanasia (mercy killing) moral?;
33) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is gay
marriage moral?;
34) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is gay
adoption moral?;
35) Is existentialism logically defensible?
36) Is phenomenology logically defensible?
37) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is stem
cell research moral?;
38) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is
allowing gays in the military moral?;
39) Does human nature exist and, if it does, is it primarily good,
primarily evil or primarily a mixed bag, and is it more fixed than
flexible or more flexible than fixed?
40) Which of the theories in philosophy of art discussed on
www.sterlingharwood.com is most defensible?
41) Based on the 5 moral principles on www.sterlingharwood.com, is
America's current war in Afghanistan been moral?
42) What is the meaning of life?
43) What’s the best logical assessment of the evidence for and
against the abominable snowman’s existence?
44) What’s the most logical explanation of The Bermuda Triangle
(aka, The Devil’s Triangle)?
45) What’s the most logical explanation of Crop Circles?
46) What’s the best logical assessment of the evidence for and
against Chupacabra’s existence?
47) What’s the best logical assessment of the evidence for and
against the New Jersey Devil’s existence?
48) What’s the best logical assessment of the evidence for and
against the existence of a conspiracy to fake landing Americans on the
moon?
49) What’s the most logical explanation of the JFK assassination,
including whether Lee Harvey Oswald was guilty and whether there was a
conspiracy to kill President Kennedy?
50) What’s the most logical explanation of the RFK assassination,
including whether Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was a Manchurian candidate
assassin through hypnosis and whether there was a conspiracy to kill
Senator Kennedy?
51) Is the Martingale Betting Strategy, or any known variant of it, a
logical approach to gambling?
19.EXPECTATIONS: IMPORTANT NOTE: One of the biggest mistakes students
make in this class is writing on one of the topics above and failing to
include any of the 5 moral principles. That mistake means you wrote on
an unapproved topic and can get no credit for your paper. The same is
true if you fail to put your paper into the required ABC format. If you
want another topic approved, besides the topics approved above, see me
to try to get approval before you begin writing, but all topics
approved require discussing as many of the 5 moral principles as
possible in your C sections of the ABC format. Sample papers in ABC
format will be available for you to read in EVC Library. No assignment
has any minimum or maximum length, but you must evaluate (using our ABC
format) at least 6 -- and preferably as many more than 6 as you can --
quotations in the final version of your paper. I expect all students to
do their best and to enjoy the course. Enjoy your work enough to take
the time to think well about it, re-read it and proofread it carefully.
See guideline R of guidelines A-Z on www.sterlingharwood.com . All
written work must be typed (or word-processed) double-spaced with 1"
margins on all 4 sides of regular (no onion skin) white 8 1/2" x 11"
paper. This means that each page should have about 10 words per line
and 25 lines per page (for a total of about 255 words per page
maximum). Each page of your papers, except perhaps your last page, MUST
have a minimum of about 245 words following the margins described
above. I expect everyone to cooperate well in his or her learning team
when we break into learning teams in class. I expect us to think
critically and thus be logical and reasonable throughout the course.
This obviously includes treating each other with patience and fairness.
20. EXPECTATIONS: SAVING YOUR WORK IS REQUIRED: I require that you save
copies of all work you submit for a grade, and keep these copies for at
least one year after you receive your grade for the course. Failing to
get the required, signed receipt from me for submitting your term paper
and your final exam answers would be a huge mistake. Lacking a receipt
means you get no credit for submitting your term paper or your final
exam answers if they are lost or stolen or missing when I do the
grading of the term papers and final exams. Failure to save your work
for one year means that you may lose any appeal of your grade for the
paper and for the course. I require a copy of your paper, and all or
almost all other graded work, to consider any appeal of your grade for
the course. Protecting privacy prevents production of information about
grades of any particular student by email, fax or phone. I already
announced this policy in our syllabus and repeatedly announced this
policy in our class. If you wish to discuss your grade, then you need
to make an appointment to meet me and bring your student photo ID to
our meeting. If a student has a problem, the problem is usually that 1)
I never received a paper or 2) never received a paper on time or 3) I
never received a paper in the proper format (for example, ABC format
and with moral principles for papers on topics in moral philosophy such
as, for example, affirmative action, euthanasia, capital punishment,
abortion, gun control, surrogate motherhood, gay marriage, and
cloning). So if – repeat if – your problem is that you
think I lack your paper, then feel free to fax, mail or email -- no
attachments accepted -- me your paper and ask me to update your grade
in person by appointment, if possible.
21. EXPECTATIONS: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT RULES INCLUDE:
A. No blurting = raise your hand and patiently wait for Dr. Harwood to
call on you before speaking. I certainly plan promptly to call on
everyone who raises his or her hand.
B. No murmuring = avoid side-conversations that are loud enough for Dr.
Harwood to hear. Dr. Harwood has excellent hearing, so he recommends
that you pass notes back and forth in a non-distracting way rather than
murmur. Murmuring tends to distract you from what Dr. Harwood is saying
and tends to distract other students and sometimes even risks
distracting Dr. Harwood. Stay focused on the class presentation, take
detailed notes (especially since all tests are open note), and face the
front of the class.
C. No lumbering = stay in your seat during class, unless you need to
leave the room to take a bathroom break of course. Obviously there's no
need to ask permission to leave the room; just do so as quietly as you
can.
D. No consuming of or engaging in outside material during class = for
example, no quilting, no reading of newspapers or magazines that I
haven't assigned, and no listening to headphones.
E. No impatience = patiently listen to and follow Dr. Harwood's
directions, instructions, and announcements. Patience is indeed a
virtue (and a key to happiness). If you have a question about
instructions, then wait until the next break or after class to discuss
it unless you raise your hand during or right after Dr. Harwood gives
the instructions in class.
F. Bring several blank 5” x 8” index cards (lined or
unlined doesn’t matter; color doesn’t matter) and at least
2 blank Scantron 882 forms to every class, starting with our second
class. Do not try to use any differently sized index card or any other
form instead of those specified above. Index cards must be of
commercial quality and not homemade cards. 5” x 8” cards
are generally available @ the campus store, Long’s Drugs, Office
Depot, Office Max, Staples, etc.
G. I request all students to notify me if they need assistance because
of a disability.
H. The required safety issues are identified on pages 172-173 of the
EVC course catalog, which I hereby incorporate by reference. Dial 911
for all emergencies. Dial 408-277-5454 if 911 fails to work. Dial
408-270-6468 for nonemergency safety issues and for EVC campus police.
22. EXPECTATIONS & THE BOTTOM LINE: THE 16 BIGGEST MISTAKES
STUDENTS MAKE IN THIS COURSE:
#1 Biggest Mistake: Failing to read carefully the instructions in this
syllabus, and failing to get the required receipt for submitting your
term paper, which means that if someone takes your paper from my inbox
or your paper is otherwise misplaced that you will get no credit for
submitting it. So get a hardcopy receipt from me – with my
signature and the correct date of submission – when you submit
your hardcopy or submit your paper by email early enough to get a
receipt from me by return email. I require getting a signed receipt (or
email receipt from my aol address) from me for submitting the paper;
that’s the only evidence for submitting the paper that counts if
I do not have your paper for whatever reason. We will not have a
mini-trial or other proceeding where you try to bring witnesses or any
other evidence instead of the receipt, which is required.
Second Biggest Mistake: Writing a paper on an unapproved paper topic.
This will lead to an F in the course unless you correct this problem
with another term paper on an approved paper topic (and meeting all
other requirements) by the deadline of the end of the final exam.
Third Biggest Mistake: Failing to use ABC format for the term paper
(and any optional oral presentation). This mistake includes using in
your ‘A’ sections in ABC format a quotation that lacks
question marks or lacks the name of the author of the quote, or that
lacks a full citation (following Guideline O on our website) for the
quote. You will fail the course if, lacking any good excuse, you fail
to submit a term paper without at least 6 quotations in proper ABC
format by the end of the final exam on 12/12/07 1040am PT.
Fourth Biggest Mistake: Failing to save your work, especially failing
to keep a backup copy of your scantrons that you submit to Dr. Harwood
for grading.
Fifth Biggest Mistake: Failing to ask me questions in a timely way
after reading this syllabus and the FAQs on www.sterlingharwood.com.
There are no dumb questions. What would be dumb is to have a question
and then not ask it and expect me to be a mindreader and answer your
question somehow. The syllabus and the table of contents to
www.sterlingharwood.com are great to try to find the answers even
faster and better than I can give them to you off the top of my head
(relying on memory is imperfect; written rules are best).
Sixth Biggest Mistake: Missing time in class (absences, late arrivals,
early exits that are not earned).
Seventh Biggest Mistake: Failing to include any of the 5 moral
principles on www.sterlingharwood.com when doing assignments on a topic
that includes the words “Based on the 5 moral principles.”
You will fail the course if you submit such a paper by the end of the
final exam.
Eighth Biggest Mistake: Failing to put a grid on all graded work. The
grid = draw a cross & put as follows: upper left = name of student;
upper right “PHIL 60” or “PHIL 1”; lower left =
description of the work submitted; lower right = date submitted into my
in-box (not the date you did the work or the date it was due if you are
submitting it late; late work must say how many days late it is to get
any credit at all; the later it is, the less credit you will receive
but it’s always better late than never until the final deadline
at the final exam, which will be during our last class).
Ninth Biggest Mistake: Combining more than one paper (or presentation)
topic in the same assignment.
Tenth Biggest Mistake: Failing to read the sample paper on
www.sterlingharwood.com and on reserve in the library. Note: on
www.sterlingharwood.com, ‘FAQ’ = frequently asked question.
Eleventh Biggest Mistake: Failing to follow guidelines A & U by
using a title and headings, respectively, as signposts to guide the
readers of their papers and presentations.
Twelfth Biggest Mistake: Failing to follow guideline A by failing to
make the title of their paper or presentation a claim that indicates an
approved paper topic and the student’s stand on that topic.
Thirteenth Biggest Mistake: Failing to save the aol website as a word
file & failing to use the Control + F search and the table of
contents in FAQ2 to search the website
Fourteenth Biggest Mistake: Failing to realize that
www.sterlingharwood.com clearly states that students may of course use
the quotes I posted on www.sterlingharwood.com in the A sections of
their papers & presentations in ABC format.
Fifteenth Biggest Mistake: Failure to take good notes, since all our
tests, quizzes, and exams – including the final exam on 12/12/07
from 915-1040am PT in our usual classroom -- are open note (and open
book).
Sixteenth Biggest Mistake: Failing to turn off your ringtone on your
cellphone or other device. If a student’s device rings, then that
signals me to have another quiz. New campus security procedures now
suggests I keep my cellphone on during class, so if my cellphone rings,
then I plan to write an extra credit quiz on the board as I field the
call quickly just to see if it is an emergency.
22. BIO OF INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Harwood (B.A. in Philosophy, 1980 University
of Maryland; J.D. 1983 Cornell Law School; M.A. in Philosophy, 1986
Cornell University; Ph.D. in Philosophy, 1992 Cornell University) is a
practicing attorney at law (Licensed, State Bar Number 194746; see
www.calbar.ca.gov) and is the author of Judicial Activism: A Restrained
Defense (Austin & Winfield 1996). He edited and wrote 24 chapters
of Business as Ethical & Business as Usual (Jones & Bartlett,
now Wadsworth 1995), co-edited with Michael Gorr, Crime &
Punishment: Philosophic Explorations (Jones & Bartlett, 1994, now
published by Wadsworth Publishing Co., 2000), and co-edited with
Michael Gorr, Controversies in Criminal Law (Westview Press, 1992). He
is working on a revised edition of his book Judicial Activism. Dr.
Harwood became a practicing lawyer in 1998. He has been teaching since
1981 and still isn't tired! He has taught philosophy for more than 10
years in the Evergreen Valley College/San Jose City College Community
College District and has earned Seniority Rehire Preference there. He
has taught philosophy full-time for 7 years at San Jose State
University. He has taught more than 65 courses, mainly in philosophy
and sociology, at University of Phoenix since 1998 (including online
and onground) and has also taught at the following colleges and
universities: Cornell University; Cornell Law School; Foothill College,
San Jose City College; Evergreen Valley College; West Valley Community
College; Chabot College; Hobart & William Smith Colleges; Illinois
State University; and Masters Institute of Technology. Over the summer
of 2007 Dr. Harwood joined the faculty at Lincoln Law School. Dr.
Harwood is married to a vivacious Vietnamese-American lady named Tina
Le Harwood. They have two delightful daughters Heather Harwood (age 7)
and Holly Harwood (age 5). The Harwood family is also proud to include
a German Shepherd named Panther and a Beagle named Toby. The Harwood
family lives in San Jose, CA. Dr. Harwood’s hobbies include being
a fan of major league baseball, the NFL, and the NBA, buying low and
selling high on ebay, viewing films, and – just starting recently
– finding missing aircraft (part Indiana Jones, part CSI?).
23. COURSE SCHEDULE OF READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS:
Note: I plan to have a quiz at the end of every class. Bring at least 3
blank 5x8 inch index cards to every class. I no longer use Scantron
forms except for the final exam, so ignore all other references to
Scantron forms that I have yet to delete.
Week 1: Introduction, extra credit quiz (extra credit quizzes cannot
lower your grade), syllabus; Sagan Ch.12; extra credit quiz
Week 2: Sagan Ch.1; Wilson Ch.1; quiz
Week 3: Sagan Ch.2; quiz; Sagan Ch.3; Wilson Ch.2; quiz
Week 4: Sagan Ch.4-5
Week 5: Sagan Ch.6-7; Wilson Ch.3; quiz
Week 6: Sagan Ch.8-9; quiz; view sample papers
Week 7: Sagan Ch.9-10; Wilson Ch.4; quiz
Week 8: Sagan Ch.11 & 13; quiz
Week 9: Sagan Ch.14-15; Wilson Ch.5; quiz
Week 10: Sagan Ch.16-17; quiz
Week 11: Sagan Ch.18-19; Wilson Ch.6; quiz
Week 12: Sagan Ch.20-21; Wilson pages 56-60 starting with 7.2.1
Week 13: Sagan Ch.22-23; Wilson Ch.10; quiz
Week 14: Sagan Ch.24; quiz
Week 15: Sagan Ch.12 (again); Wilson Ch.14
Week 16: Loose ends
Week 17:: ALL TERM PAPERS DUE BY 140PM in the last class; FINAL EXAM,
OPEN NOTE, OPEN BOOK, ALWAYS BRING 2 BLANK SCANTRON FORMS; the final
exam will be at our usual class time and in our usual classroom.
********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
FAQ5: For all courses, what are Dr. Harwood's CRUCIALLY important
Guidelines A-Z for Creating & Grading Papers & Presentations?
I will use these 26 guidelines in grading your papers and
presentations. So learn all the guidelines thoroughly. The first letter
in a comment like 'AF' refers to the guideline I am relying on to
comment on your paper and the second letter will be 'F' (meaning
'followed') or 'U' (meaning 'unfollowed'). So, for example, 'AF' means
guideline A was followed. 'AU' means guideline A was unfollowed. 'BF'
means guideline B was followed and 'BU' means guid