Philosophy 2401-01     M/W/F 1.30-2.20

Instructor: Dr. Todd Janke

Office: A&S-105 D

Phone: 678.466.4718

E-mail: ToddJanke@clayton.edu

webpage:  http://a-s.clayton.edu/tjanke

Class Listserv:  phil2401-01fall07@lists.clayton.edu                       

Individuals with disabilities who need to request accommodations should contact the Disability Services Coordinator, Student Center 214, 678/466-5445, disabilityservices@mail.clayton.edu.

Please refer to the following for important information about the Regent’s Tests:

http://ctl.clayton.edu/Testing%20Center/Assmt_misc/Regents.htm

Course Policies:

Students must abide by policies in the Clayton State University Student Handbook, and the Basic Undergraduate Student Responsibilities.

Any type of activity that is considered dishonest by reasonable standards may constitute academic misconduct. The most common forms of academic misconduct are cheating and plagiarism.  All instances of academic dishonesty will result in a grade of zero for the work involved.  All instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Office of Student Life/Judicial Affairs.   Judicial procedures are described at

http://adminservices.clayton.edu/studentlife/judicial_affairs.htm.

ITP Choice Policy (Each CCSU student is required to have ready access throughout the semester to a notebook computer that meets faculty-approved hardware and software requirements for the student's academic program. See http://itpchoice.clayton.edu for full details of this policy.)

To set up your computer to receive course email, go to http://thehub.clayton.edu and select Personal Information, then select Manage Email/Web Space, next select Setup your CCSU Email account, and follow the instructions. Next you will need to configure your notebook to access your CCSU email; select Email Setup and proceed as directed.  Direct any questions you may have to the HUB’s Software Support Services, located downstairs in the Library and on the phone at 770-960-4357.   The web address for accessing your CCSU email is http://www.claytonstate.net. The Listserv for this class, by which you all will communicate with each other and with me, is listed above.

Computer Use in This Course:
Student notebook computers will not be used in the classroom in this course. Computers will be required to access course materials and to communicate with your instructor.

Learning Outcomes: 

Critical Thinking:

http://a-s.clayton.edu/campbell/Outcomes/Core/CoreCriticalThinkingOutcomesAreaDMaster.htm

Communication:

http://a-s.clayton.edu/campbell/Outcomes/Core/CoreCommunicationsOutcomesAreaDMaster.htm

Mid-term Progress Report

Mid term grades will be issued after the first exam and journal collection and will account for 35% of the final grade.

NOTE:  Last Day to withdraw without academic accountability is March 2nd

Course Overview: This course in aesthetics presents philosophy as an active enterprise that must be participated in if it is to be experienced and appreciated. This participation involves reading and studying and coming to understand the classic texts in the history of philosophical attention to art, beauty, and taste. It also involves your writing and thinking and conversing about these questions.

Success in this course will require a considerable commitment of your time and energy. I advise the following study regimen: Do the assigned reading and writing before coming to class. (This is the bare minimum!) As soon as possible after class and in the light of class discussion and lecture, re-read the selection, taking notes for review and study.  This will go a long way toward preparing you for the midterm and final examinations.  Make sure your journal papers are of the required length, demonstrate thoughtful effort, and are submitted on time.  This is necessary to success in the “writing” portion of the course.  Since these papers serve as the basis for class discussion, they are also very important to your participation grade. 

RequiredTexts: Aesthetics: Classic Readings from the Western Tradition, 2^nd ed., Dabney Townsend, Ed.

Aesthetics: The Classic Readings , David Cooper, Ed.

Course Requirements

40% Electronic Discussion Forum Journal: You will be writing a 1 ½ - 2 page commentary on the assigned reading for each class meeting. These journal entries must be posted (emailed to the class listserv address – see above) PRIOR TO the class meeting at which the reading (on which the paper is based) will be discussed. You must keep a hard copy of all your submissions and organize them for collection and review on two occasions, on the day of the First Exam and on the day of the Final Exam. Add a cover page containing a table of contents and a paragraph or two assessing the overall quality of your journal/discussion list contribution, giving primary consideration to such factors as number of postings, timeliness of postings, length of papers, and quality of the writings themselves.  Assign a rating to your assessment, based on a ten-point scale.  You will also need to bring your individual papers to class meetings, as you will be called on to make brief presentations of your analyses to the class.  In addition to submitting papers, you are expected to read papers submitted by your classmates.  You may demonstrate that you are doing so commenting on these papers by email response to the listserv.   

Your paper may be either (1) a response to one of the study questions at the end of the relevant reading in the textbook, (2) a report in your own words of what the author is saying in the selection, ending with 1-2 paragraphs of personal comment or criticism, or (3) an analysis based on your own formulation of an issue addressed in or posed by the reading.  In a given paper, stay on the track you begin on; do not mix up the methods.  Also, stay focused and do not ramble over multiple issues or topics.  If you choose the second method, you must “close your eyes” to the editor’s introduction and summary; a repetition of what the editor has written is, in this context, tantamount to plagiarism.  As you engage what are challenging and difficult readings, keep in mind that Understanding is the objective and not criticism for criticism's sake.

Paper Formatting and Submitting:  Type your paper in Word, in 12 point font, with one inch margins all around and normal double-spacing throughout.  Use the first line or two to identify yourself, your class section, the author’s name, and whether the paper is type (1) Question Response, (2) Report with Comments, or (3) Open Response.  For example: Janke/Plato/QR.  In writing your paper, do not beat around the bush with introductory material.  Immediately and concisely state the issue or question you are addressing and go directly to your analysis.  Copy and paste the Word document into an email addressed to your class listserv, making sure to identify yourself and the paper topic in the subject box of the email. 

20% First Examination:        

20% Second Examination: 

20% Final Examination:        

Schedule of Readings

While the following is the definite order of the readings, we will undoubtedly at times, in class, move more slowly and at times more rapidly than the schedule indicates. In any event, you are to follow the schedule below for due dates on readings and paper submissions.  Readings from Townsend will be marked by “T” and from Cooper by “C.”

Week 1 Classical and Medieval Aesthetics

            Introduction

Plato               T

Week 2

Aristotle          T

MoTzu             C         &         Hsun Tzu        C

Week  3

Shih-‘tao         C

Week 4

Plotinus          T

Bonaventure  T

Week 5

Modern Aesthetics: The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries

Hutcheson      T

David Hume   T

Week 6

  Review

  Exam 1:  9/26

Week 7

            Immanuel Kant           T & C

Week 8

            Immanuel Kant           T & C

            Schiller                      C

Note: Last Day to Withdraw without Academic Accountability: Friday, Oct. 12

Week 9

               Friedrich Nietzsche   T  

Arthur Danto              T

Review for Final Exam

Week 17

*****Final Exam:  TBA*****