Learning Modules
- Module One: A.J. Ayer and Charles Peirce
- Module Two: William James
- Module Three: Bertrand Russell
- Module Four: Martin Heidegger and Hannah Arendt
- Module Five: John Dewey
Weekly Schedule
Week 1: Introduction
Activities:
Aug 29: First class meeting. Read together from A.J. Ayer, Language, Truth and Logic
Aug 31: Second class meeting. Read together from Peirce, “Neglected Argument”
Work due:
Sep 3: Discussion board deadline to write personal introduction and reply to at least two mates.
Preparation for next week:
Watch: Elliot Gaines, “Charles Sanders Peirce: Semiotics and the Logic of Pragmatism” Read: Charles Peirce, “Neglected Argument”
Week 2: Charles Peirce: Musement, Hypotheses, Religious Belief and Scientific Inquiry
Activities:
Sep 5: Class meeting to discuss Charles Peirce, “Neglected Argument”
Sep 7: Write discussion board entry on “Musement, Reasonable Hypotheses, and Religious Belief”
Work due:
Sep 10: Discussion board deadline
Preparation for next week:
Watch: Let’s Talk Philosophy, “The Philosophy of William James”
Watch: American Philosopher, “Who Founded Pragmatism?”
Read: William James, Pragmatism, Lectures I and II
Week 3: William James: Pragmatism
Activities:
Sep 12: Class meeting to discuss William James, Pragmatism, Lectures I and II
Sep 14: Write discussion board entry on “What Pragmatism Means”
Work due:
Sep 17: Discussion board deadline
Preparation for next week:
Read: William James, Pragmatism, Lectures III and IV
Week 4:
Activities:
Sep 19: Class meeting to discuss William James, Pragmatism, Lectures III and IV
Sep 21: Write discussion board entry on “The Problems of Design and Free Will”
Work due:
Sep 24: Discussion board deadline
Preparation for next week:
Read: William James, Pragmatism, LLectures V and VI
Week 5:
Activities:
Sep 26: Class meeting to discuss William James, Pragmatism, Lectures V and VI
Sep 28: Write discussion board entry on “Pragmatist Truth”
Work due:
Oct 1: Discussion board deadline
Preparation for next week:
Read: William James, Pragmatism, Lectures VII and VIII
Week 6:
Activities:
Oct 3: Class meeting to discuss William James, Pragmatism, Lectures VII and VIII
Oct 5: Write discussion board entry on “Humanism and Religion”
Work due:
Oct 8: Discussion board deadline
Preparation for next week:
Write: Essay 1
Week 7:
Activities:
Oct 10: No class—College follows Monday schedule
Oct 12: Work independently on Essay 1
Work due:
Oct 15: Essay 1 due
Preparation for next week:
Watch: Manufacturing Intellect, “A Conversation with Bertrand Russell (1952)”
Read: Bertrand Russell, The Problems of Philosophy, Chapters I and XII
Week 8: Bertrand Russell: Reality, Knowledge, and Truth
Activities:
Oct 17: Class meeting to discuss Bertrand Russell, The Problems of Philosophy, Chapters I and XII
Oct 19: Write discussion board entry on “Truth and Falsehood”
Work due:
Oct 22: Discussion board deadline
Preparation for next week:
Read: Bertrand Russell, The Problems of Philosophy, Chapters XIII, XIV, and XV
Week 9:
Activities:
Oct 24: Class meeting to discuss Russell, The Problems of Philosophy, Chapters XIII, XIV, and XV
Oct 26: Write discussion board entry on “The Value of Philosophy”
Word due:
Oct 29: Discussion board deadline
Preparation for next week:
Read: Martin Heidegger, “On the Essence of Truth” (pdf)
Week 10: Two European Philosophers on Truth
Activities:
Oct 31: Class meeting to discuss Heidegger, “On the Essence of Truth” (pdf)
Nov 2: Write discussion board entry on “The Essence of Truth”
Work due:
Nov 5: Discussion board deadline
Preparation for next week:
Watch: Philosophy Hub, “Hannah Arendt on Love and Politics”
Read: Hannah Arendt, “Truth and Politics”
Week 11:
Activities:
Nov 7: Class meeting to discuss Hannah Arendt, “Truth and Politics”
Nov 9: Write discussion board entry on “Truth and Politics”
Work due:
Nov 12: Discussion board deadline
Preparation for next week:
Watch: Philosophy Overdose, “On going to college versus getting an education”
Watch: American Philosopher, “Richard Rorty on John Dewey”
Read: John Dewey, “The Need for a Reconstruction of Philosophy” (pdf) and “Science, Belief, and the Public” (pdf)
Week 12: John Dewey
Activities:
Nov 14: Class meeting to discuss Dewey, “The Need for a Reconstruction of Philosophy” (pdf) and “Science, Belief, and the Public” (pdf)
Nov 16: Write discussion board entry on “The Problems of Philosophers and the Problems of People”
Work due:
Nov 19: Discussion board deadline Preparation for next week:
Week 13:
Activities:
Nov 21: Work independently to finish Essay 2
Nov 23: No class—Thanksgiving Day
Work due:
Nov 22: Essay 2
Preparation for next week:
Read: John Dewey, Faith and Its Object, Chapter 1
Week 14:
Activities:
Nov 28: Class meeting to discuss John Dewey, Faith and Its Object, Chapter 1
Nov 30: Write discussion board entry on “Religion Versus the Religious”
Work due:
Dec 3: Discussion board deadline
Preparation for next week:
Read: John Dewey, Faith and Its Object, Chapter 2
Week 15:
Activities:
Dec 5: Class meeting to discuss John Dewey, Faith and Its Object, Chapter 2
Dec 7: Independent work to catch up with reading and writing. Professor Campos available for individual meetings, with prior scheduling, if students need help with their final essay.
Work due:
None
Preparation for finals week: Work on essay 3
Finals week: Concluding your work
Work due:
Dec 14: Essay 3
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