Class Schedule Spring 2011

(Dates given in blue; Reflection papers are due on Tuesday unless otherwise
specified.)   
I. What is Philosophy? Philosophical Phobias & Obsessions 
Week one (Jan 19 - 21 ) 
Botton: No assignment
Reading: "Philosophical Obsessions and Phobias” , "Sundry Statements on Philosophy"

Jan 21 Reflection Paper  #1 What are your Philosophical Obsessions? Perhaps

“obsession” is too strong a word, but what are your philosophical interests?
Explain your interest in these questions. Do you have any Philosophical
Phobias? (Look over the "Sundry Statements on Philosophy". Which of those
statements strike you as especially interesting, thought-provoking, or false?)   

           II. Socrates on the Examined Life, Authenticity, and Social Disapproval

Week two  (Jan 26- 28)
Botton: Chapter I "Unpopularity" (pp. 1-42)
Pojman: Plato, Republic , (Chapter 1: Convention under Attack  pp. 97-116)  & 
Apology (pp. 33-47 begin discussion)
Reading: "Socrates on Misology" (In "Course Documents") 

Week three (Feb 2-4)  

Reflection paper #2 “What is the meaning of Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”?  
Botton: Chapter I "Unpopularity" (cont.)
Pojman: Plato, Republic "Allegory of the Cave" (pp. 192-197: 514a-521B); Apology
(cont.) 

Week four   (Feb 9 -11)  

Feb 11 (Th): Reflection Paper #3 What are the characteristics of an
authentic individual? How important is it to be authentic? How and to what
extent can Socrates be considered an authentic individual?
Botton: Chapter I "Unpopularity" (cont.)
Pojman: Plato, Crito (pp. 47-54) & "Death Scene of Socrates" from Phaedo
(pp. 84-85)

        III. Epicurus on Wealth, Hedonism, and True Happiness 

Week five  (Feb 16-18)   
Reflection Paper #4  "Would it be desirable to win the lottery?" (Your
winnings: $2.5 Million after taxes.) Explain why or why not with sound,
reasoned arguments.
Botton: Chapter II "Not Having Enough Money" (pp. 43-72)
Pojman: Epicurus, Letter to Menoeceus & Principal Doctrines (pp. 358-362)
Week six  Feb 22-24 (Feb 23-25)    
Botton: Chapter II "Not Having Enough Money" (pp. 43-72)
Pojman: Epicurus, Letter to Menoeceus and Principal Doctrines (cont.)

 IV. Seneca and Epictetus: The Stoic Guide to Dealing with Frustrations

Gracefully and Nobly
Week seven  (Mar 2-4) (Two Reflection Papers Due)   
Tue Mar 2: Reflection Paper #5  "Does everything in life happen for a
Reason?" That is, do events in our lives happen in accordance with some
cosmic plan—directed either by a personal God or by an impersonal karma?
Or do events just happen randomly without any overall cosmic plan or
objective? What are the practical implications for living your life based on your
belief or lack of a belief in a cosmic plan? Explain your position and defend it
with reasoned arguments.
Botton: Chapter III "Frustration" (pp. 73-112)
Pojman: Epictetus Encheiridion (pp. 363-373)

Thur Mar 4: Reflection Paper #6  Evaluate Lincoln’s statement, “People are only
about as happy they make up their minds to be.” To what extent does genuine
happiness depend on external conditions (e.g., health, wealth, status, success,
etc.) and to what extent does happiness depend on one’s decision and one's
attitude? Explain and defend your position.
Botton: Chapter III "Frustration" (pp. 73-112)
Pojman: Epictetus Encheiridion (cont.)

Week eight   (Mar 9-11)

Botton: Chapter III "Frustration" (pp. 73-112)
Pojman: Epictetus Encheiridion (cont.)

Week nine   (Mar 16-18)

Botton: Chapter III "Frustration" (cont.)
Pojman: Epictetus Encheiridion (cont.)

 Mar 23-25 Spring Break (No Classes)    

       V. Schopenhauer on Idealism, Pessimism, the Will To Live and Healing a

Broken Heart  

Week ten   (Mar 30-April 1)  

(Two Reflection Papers due)
Tuesday: Reflection Paper #7 How can I know that I am not dreaming? Are there any
infallible tests that will prove with certainty I am awake and perceiving an external
“reality” and not merely internal images from my own dreaming consciousness? Is this a
trivial or an important question? Explain your answer.  
Botton: Chapter V “A Broken Heart” (pp. 169-203)
Schopenhauer (Essays & Aphorisms): Required reading: Third Essay: “On the
Antithesis of Thing in Itself and Appearance  (pp. 55-61)   

Thursday: Reflection Paper #8 “Is it better to be live one’s life as a

Philosophical Optimist or a Philosophical Pessimist?” Optimism and
pessimism refer not to temperament (historically called “Sanguine” or
“Melancholic”) but to a reasoned philosophy or worldview. Defend the
advantages and even truth of the perspective your chose. 
Schopenhauer (Required reading): First and Second Essays: On the
Suffering of the World” and “On The Vanity of Existence”  (pp. 41-55)
Schopenhauer Recommended reading: Translator’s introduction pp. 22-36 Begin
“The Pessimistic Outlook”

Week eleven  (April 6- 8)

Botton: Chapter V “A Broken Heart” (pp. 169-203)
Schopenhauer (Required reading): First and Second Essays: On the Suffering of the
World” and “On The Vanity of Existence”  (pp. 41-55)
Schopenhauer Recommended reading: Translator’s introduction pp. 22-36 Begin
“The Pessimistic Outlook”

Week twelve (April 13-15)

Reflection Paper #9  What is Romantic Love? Is it just an intense feeling or is it more
real than just being a feeling? Is romantic love nothing but a result of cultural
conditioning? Is it necessarily fleeting or can it be life-long? How important is finding
love for one’s happiness and well-being? How does romantic love compare with other
types of love?

Botton: Chapter V “A Broken Heart” (pp. 169-203)

Schopenhauer (Required reading): Fourth, Essay:“Affirmation and Denial of Will to
Live”,(pp. 61-65) Aphorisms, “On Ethics” (pp. 133-142, Sections 1-6 only); “On Various
Subjects” (I.D & E pp. 215-216) 

   VI. Nietzsche, The Death of God, and Overcoming Difficulties  

Week thirteen   (April 20-22)
Reflection Paper #10  What is the meaning of Nietzsche’s parable wherein the
mad man declares “God is Dead” (In Pojman, Joyful Wisdom, “The Mad Man
and the Death of God”, p. 1033)
Botton: Chapter VI "Difficulty" (pp. 203-244)  
Pojman: Aphorisms  (pp. 1031-1032) and Joyful Wisdom; p 1033

 Week fourteen  (April 27-29)

Botton: Chapter VI "Difficulty" (pp. 203-244)
Pojman: Twilight of the Idols: "Maxims and Missiles" (pp. 1040-1041), "The Problem
of Socrates" (pp. 1041-1044)  
Week fifteen (May 5-7)
Botton: Chapter VI "Difficulty" (cont.)
Pojman: Beyond Good and Evil (pp. 1033-1039) The Anti-Christ (pp. 1052-1055:
thru section 9) 

Finals Week  (May 12 or 14) (Meet only once. Date to be announced)   

Reflection Papers & Dialogues Due Dates

Below is the schedule of the due dates for the Reflection Papers and the Consolation/Dialogue for
Spring Semester 2011. All papers are due on the Tuesday of the week except where indicated.

Week one 
 Reflection Paper #1 What are your Philosophical Obsessions? Perhaps “obsession” is too strong a
word, but what are your philosophical interests? Explain your interest in these questions. Do you have
any Philosophical Phobias? (Due Thursday January 20)  

Week two  
No written assignments due

Week three 
Reflection Paper #2 “What is the meaning of Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”?

Week four
Reflection Paper #3 What are the characteristics of an authentic individual. How important is it to be
authentic? What constitutes an authentic individual? To what extent is Socrates an authentic individual?
What is the role of reason and desire in authenticity?  

Week five 
Reflection paper #4  "Would it be desirable to win the lottery?" (Your winnings: $2.5 Million after taxes.)
Would winning the lottery increase or decrease your general happiness? Explain why or why not with
sound, reasoned arguments. This paper will be the topic of class discussion. 

Week six 
Socrates Dialogue/Consolation on unpopularity and authenticity (Due Thursday Feb. 24) 

Week seven (two reflection papers due) 

Reflection Paper #5  "Does everything in life happen for a Reason?" That is, do events in our lives
happen in accordance with some cosmic plan—directed either by a God or by impersonal karma? Or do
events just happen randomly without any overall cosmic plan or objective? What are the practical
implications for living your life based on your belief or lack of a belief in a cosmic plan? Explain your
position and defend it with reasoned arguments. (Due Tuesday March 1) 

Reflection Paper #6  Evaluate Lincoln’s statement, “People are only about as happy they make up their
minds to be.” To what extent does genuine happiness depend on external conditions and to what extent
does happiness depend on one’s decision, beliefs and attitude? Explain and defend your position.
(Due Thursday March 3) 

Week eight 
No Written Assignments Due
Week nine
Epicurean Dialogue/Consolation on not having enough money (Due Thursday March 17)  

Week ten (two reflection papers due)

Reflection Paper #7  How do I know I am not dreaming? Are there any infallible tests that will prove I am
awake and perceiving an external “reality” and not in my own dreaming consciousness? Is this a trivial or
an important question? Explain. (Due Tuesday March 29)  
Reflection Paper #8  “Is it better to be live one’s life as a Philosophical Optimist or a Philosophical
Pessimist?” Optimism and pessimism refer not to temperament (Sanguine or Melancholy) but a reasoned
philosophy or worldview. Why? Defend the advantages of the perspective your chose. (Due Thursday
March 31)

Week eleven: Stoic Dialogue/Consolation on overcoming frustration due Thursday April 6.    

Week twelve
Reflection Paper #9  What is Romantic Love? Is it just an intense feeling or is it more real than merely a
feeling? Is romantic love nothing but a result of cultural conditioning? Is it necessarily fleeting or can it be
life-long? How important is finding love for one’s happiness and well-being? How does romantic love
compare with other types of love?

Week thirteen 
Reflection Paper #10  What is the meaning of Nietzsche’s parable where the mad man declares “God is
Dead”. 

Week fourteen 
Schopenhauer Consolation/Dialogue on Mending a Broken Heart 
If book review I is turned in on or before week fourteen it will earn a maximum of 25 points.  

Week fifteen 
Book Review #1 Due (20 points)    

Finals Week 
 Nietzsche Dialogue/Consolation on Overcoming Difficulties (By noon Friday May 13 in my mailbox
in Plaza M108)