PHIL 410: POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
University of Tennessee, Martin
1/1/2024
BASIC INFORMATION
Course Section: all on campus and online sections of PHIL 410 taught by James Fieser
Course Title: Political Philosophy
Meeting Time and Place: online, asynchronous
Course Credit Hours: 3
Textbooks and Other Required Materials:
Posted online for free at storage.googleapis.com/jfieser/Index.html and on Canvas
Faculty Contact Information:
Dr. James Fieser
Office: Humanities 216A
Office Hours: MWF 1:00-2:00, and by appointment
E-Mail: jfieser@utm.edu (preferred method of contact)
COURSE PURPOSE, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES
Catalog Description: A review of philosophical theories of justice, political liberty, civil disobedience and the status of law generally, critical legal studies vs. natural law traditions. Readings in classical figures such as Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Machievelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Mill, Marx and recent writers such as Rawls and Nozick.
Course Resources: all material for this course is available through the course Canvas page.
Philosophy Major Student Learning Outcomes (asterisks indicate which SLOs pertain to PHIL 410): Upon completion of the philosophy program, students will be able to (1) Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of metaphysical, epistemological, and value theories in philosophy; *(2) Apply specialized knowledge of key philosophical issues and philosophers; *(3) Analyze and interpret major texts and arguments in philosophy; (4) Apply the main rules of philosophical argumentation and logic; *(5) Defend/refute philosophical positions in writing.
Political Science Major Student Learning Outcomes (asterisks indicate which SLOs pertain to POSC 401): (1) Describe political structures and processes, including those relating to elections, policy making, and policy implementation; *(2) Demonstrate an understanding of global political dynamics, encompassing an appreciation for the interconnectedness of international political, economic, and social activity; (3) Produce a research project demonstrating analytical skills while applying contemporary methods of political science research; *(4) Write and present findings from an original research or critical thinking project.
Course Communications: email will be the primary means of communication outside of class. I try to answer all email messages within an hour. During the semester I will email a few short messages to the entire class.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Course Assignments: Within each module, there are five types of assignments: (1) videos, (2) readings, (3) study questions, (4) discussion board comments, (5) tests, and (6) a term paper. Each of these is described below. Assignment due dates are posted on Canvas, and might change as the semester proceeds.
Videos: All lecture videos are linked within each Canvas module. Some videos may be recordings of my classroom lectures, and these are required viewing for all online students. Other supplemental videos are optional viewing for all students.
Readings: All of the reading assignments for this course are posted online, free of charge, and most of it comes from book chapters that I have authored. The required reading material consists of primary source, that is, text written by the philosophers themselves. Some of the text in these chapters is highlighted in yellow, which indicates the portions that I often read aloud in my on campus classes. While you should read all of the material in the chapters, the highlighted portions are most crucial. Supplemental reading material, which is optional, is at the bottom of the course home page. This includes secondary sources that summarize the views of the philosophers.
Study Questions: All the reading material in the course has accompanying study questions that appear at the bottom of each chapter, 21 questions per chapter in a given module. These must be submitted through Canvas.
Discussion Post: Each course module includes a Canvas discussion board in which students must post at least four comments pertaining to the assigned reading in that module. Comments must be a minimum length of 100 words. One comment must be your own observation or criticism about some point in the assigned readings. The remaining three comments must be in response to comments posted by other students.
Tests: All tests will be on Canvas, and there will be a test for each module consisting of 20 true-false questions. The time limit for the tests is 15 minutes. The tests will be video monitored and require use of a suitable computer with a functioning webcam. All tests are open-book and open-note.
Term Paper: A term paper is required with a length of 1,000 words for non-philosophy majors and 2,500 words for philosophy majors. Instructions are provided on the course web page.
Attendance: For on campus sections, attendance is required and will be taken regularly. You are allowed six discretionary absences, with no penalty. If you go over six, I will only evaluate the legitimacy of excuses on finals day, so you need to save all your written excuses until that time; please do not show them to me until then. Students who miss class are expected to view the relevant lecture video posted on Canvas.
Ten Commandments of Classroom Conduct: (1) Do not come to class if you are ill; (2) Do not show up late for class; (3) Shut off and put away all electronic devices; (4) Do not sneak out of class after attendance; (5) Do not leave the room once class starts unless you tell me beforehand; (6) Do not chat with students around you; (7) Do not study material for a different class during this one; (8) Do not be disrespectful to me or other students in the room; (9) Do not pack your things until I tell you that class is over; (10) Do not cheat on exams and assignments, including use of AI; at any time during the semester, I may discuss your submitted assignments with you to verify your authorship.
Grading Procedures: Course grades will be based on four factors: (1) true/false quizzes (20 points per course module); (2) study questions (4 points per course module); (3) regular participation in the discussion boards (4 points per course module); (4) term paper (weight to be determined). Final grades will initially be based on the standard 90% 80% 70% 60%, but I usually curve each of these lower at the end of the semester to the student's advantage.
Required Equipment: Access to a Windows or Apple computer with a webcam and microphone that can run the required test monitoring software (i.e., the Proctorio extension for the Chrome web browser).
Extra Credit and Lottery Scholarships: No extra credit will be available for this course; students on scholarships should take notice of this.
UNIVERSITY POLICIES
Academic Integrity: The University of Tennessee at Martin has chosen as its primary objective quality undergraduate education. Commitment to this objective must include an obligation by all members of the University community to promote and protect the highest standards of integrity in study, research, instruction and evaluation. Dishonesty or unethical behavior does not belong at an institution dedicated to the promotion of knowledge and learning. Integrity of the academic process requires fair and impartial evaluation by faculty and honest academic conduct by students. Specific integrity attributes can be found: www.utm.edu/departments/conduct/new_academic_integrity.php
Standard of Conduct: When persons enroll in The University of Tennessee at Martin, they retain the rights and duties of a citizen. Additionally, they must assume the duties and observe the regulations imposed by the University community. Specific conduct attributes can be found: www.utm.edu/departments/conduct/conduct.php
Disability Services: The University of Tennessee provides reasonable accommodations (academic adjustments and auxiliary aids) to ensure equal access to educational content and university programs for students with disabilities. Students who are eligible for and who request accommodations through the Disability Services office must provide instructors with a letter of accommodation. The Disability Services office is located in the Student Success Center, 203 Clement Hall, (731) 881-7605.
KEY CAMPUS RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS
Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog: Listing of academic programs, courses, and policies (www.utm.edu/catalog.php).
Important Dates: add/drop, payments (www.utm.edu/departments/registrar/registration.php).
Student Success Center: Academic support resources (www.utm.edu/departments/success/).
Student Health and Counseling Services: Mental and physical health services (www.utm.edu/departments/shcs/).
Library: Access to library resources, databases, course reserves, and services (www.utm.edu/library.php).
Career Services: Career counseling and resources; Vault job search system (www.utm.edu/departments/careers).
Help Desk: computer and technology assistance (731-881-7900, www.utm.edu/help)
Syllabus Subject to Change: The instructor reserves the right to revise, alter or amend this syllabus as necessary. Students will be notified in writing / email of any such changes.