IOCC 201 Study Guide #1

Remember, I am not bound by this guide in any way. Think of it as a good basic guide but not a controlling document.


IOCC 210 study guide

Do not take this as a complete representation of what could be on the exam, it is a “rough guide” at best.

Know the “ages” of the Greek world and what gave rise to Homer’s age.

The basic of Homeric authorship, style, works, structure, muse/poet, etc.

Know the main characters from the sections of The Odyssey we read.

When did Greek philosophy develop? Know some basics of Greek Philosophical thought.

Difference between Plato and Socrates.

Fundamentals of Platonic thought.

The story of Ion, magnetic rings, and what it teaches, and Plato’s argument.

Details of the trial of Socrates, outcome, charges, etc

Know the Socratic defense.

The Allegory of the cave from Republic (Book 7)

Rough details of Aristotle’s life.

What counts as poetry

Know how to identify the poetic

Three forms of poetry. Which one is best and why

How to identify the tragic.

The four causes.

 Essential, incidental properties.

Aristotle on happiness

The 6 conditions for happiness and their order

The 4 lives, which one is best any why.

Voluntary, non-voluntary, and involuntary acts.

The ideal Polis for Plato and Aristotle

 

Aristotle on women.

 

The Virtues

Basic forms of knowledge and the justification for truth from all three.

 Basic form of Platonic and Aristotelian writing as we have it today.

Basic Greek form of Democracy and their legal system.

 

Basic Logic/Fallacies

Know your words of the day.

IOCC 201 Reading 9.25

Aristotle's Ethics Books I and II

No change from the established reading list.
We read the Politics I and II for Friday
Exam is Monday the 30th.

IOCC 201 Aristotle Reading 9.20.13

Read this by 9.20.13

http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/physics.2.ii.html

Phil Through Film Final Paper

Final Paper

Phil 250

MacMurray College

Dr. Berg

 

 Although there are many literary ways to express philosophical ideas, I would like you to stick to writing a traditional "position" paper. This is the most basic, straightforward approach, which involves taking a stand on an important issue and defending it. As this is the most common means of defending ideas in an academic setting (and other settings as well), it should be mastered before you go on to write short stories, parables, dialogues, poems, etc.

 

Topic: Use your text as a guide to select a film or TV episode to connect it to one of the suggested readings in the text.  Follow themes and illuminate them in your paper.  If your philosophical essay makes a final claim about the world or values, show that the film takes a position on that issue and defend it.  The guides I write for our discussion days are a good model to form an essay.

 

What needs to be included in your essay?

• Your opening paragraph should explain the purpose and plan of your essay. What are you writing about and why?
   
• Included in your first paragraph should be a THESIS STATEMENT, a simple statement of your position on the main issue that your essay will discus.

1.  An explanation of the views you are discussing:

• it is essential that your explanation of these views be clear, concise, fair, and accurate. The clarity of your explanation often reveals how well you have understood the view you are explaining.
   
• a good summary emphasizes the main points of another's view and the reasoning behind it (if this is known).
   
• Paraphrasing and quotation may be helpful here, but cannot be used as a substitute for explaining the ideas in your own words. All quotations must be thoroughly explained.

2. An explanation of your own view

• this may involve explaining any words which might be misunderstood.
   
• it may also involve a comparison of your view with those of others, especially concerning any different assumptions you make, different implications of your views, etc.

3. A defense of your position

• This is not just an explanation of why you believe what you believe, but provides good reasons for believing it.
   
• If your reasons would not convince your roommate, is that because your roommate is a blockhead or because your reasons are lousy ones? If your reasons are lousy, is this view really worth believing?

Should you do outside research?

• None required. In fact, reading a whole lot about one of these authors from some other source is more likely to complicate the issue rather than help you. I am only concerned that you understand the positions as we have discussed them.  Everything you need is in your text and available from the script of your film.
   
• Any use of outside sources must be documented.  

What documentation is required for quotations?

• MLA Style.  Use Rhet 101 and 102 as a guide to write this paper.  If you are a freshman, we can work together and in the CLE to make your paper excellent.
     
• Plagiarism meets with little sympathy from me. If I catch you, expect to fail this class and be reported for administrative action. Plagiarism includes:
   
• making use of the ideas of others without credit--EVEN IF these ideas are explained in your own words
   
• paraphrasing by changing a few words in the original (which leads me to believe that you have not understood well enough to explain in your own words)

 

 

Length:  7-10 pages, with my “common sense” rule as your guiding feature.

 

 

You must submit BOTH a hard copy of the paper and electronic version of your paper on the day that it is due.  Late papers (w/o proper documentation) will be reduced by 10% for each day that it is late.

 

 

Due:  The last day of class.

 

Grade value:  100 points

IOCC Paper instructions

IOCC 201

Writing Assignment

 

You must write one (1)  paper in this course.

 

Your paper must be 5-7 pages long (1250-1750 words), and my “common sense” rule applies.

 

Late papers (w/o proper documentation) will be reduced by 10% for each day that it is late.  Example:  Class starts at 9:00, after 9:00 +/- a few minutes it is late.  Each calendar day is a reduction.

 

Topic:

  Select a problem that is currently in the literature in your major area of study.  Use one ancient text or idea to help solve this problem.  Use proper documentation from both this class and your major area of study.

 

Example:   

Sports Management:  The current problem of steroid (PEDs) use in MLB.  Aristotle argues in his ethics if you seek an advantage over the activity of the sport you are taking a shortcut and will lose the lessons taught by the sport, it will affect your character in a negative way.  Documentation of PED use supported by Aristotle…… (This example is now off limits as a topic)

 

You may work with any assigned author (original source material) or text in our course.

 

N.B. You must work on a text we read, and if you work from the Bible it must be from a book of the Bible that was ASSIGNED IN CLASS.

 

Citations are ruled by your Rhetoric 102 course or similar course at your transfer college.  The CLE and the Library can help with this.  The WSRP is an outstanding model for writing this paper.  Use the skills acquired in RHET 101 to write a successful paper in IOCC.

 

Use gender neutral language.

 

Improper citations or lack of citations will be charged a 5 point penalty for each offense at a minimum and at a maximum will be considered plagiarism and I will file a formal complaint with the Academic Standards Committee and the Dean of the College.

 

Many, many, IOCC 201 students do not cite the Bible and suffer dearly from this oversight.  The Bible is a book that deserves equal respect among all the great works of the Western tradition.  Despite rumor, there is no rule that ancient text need not be cited.

 

You must use MLA style.

 

Your paper is due on the last day of class!

Your final draft must be handed in as a hardcopy.

Phil Through Film

Revised calendar:
Exam I date Changed!
You also get one more Film, Discussion Sheet (you can now drop one graded DS) and one more discussion day.

Please email me if you see errors

Reading Calendar

August 29                                              Intro to the discipline (Russell)

September 3                                         Labor Day No Class

5                                                              Proof of God ? – Thomas Aquinas

10                                                           Film A River Runs Through It

12                                                           Film A River Runs Through It

17                                                           Discussion- A River Runs Through It

17                                                           The Problem of Perception- Read Descartes (1), Locke (2),Putnam (6)

19                                                           Film Ghost Dog

24                                                           Film Ghost Dog

26                                                           Discussion- Ghost Dog

October 1                                              Free Will- Read Aristotle (41), Hume (42), Lucas (44)

3                                                              Film- No Country for Old Men

8                                                              Film- No Country for Old Men

10                                                           Discussion – No Country for Old Men

15                                                           Mid-Term Exam

18                                                           Personal Identity – Read Chruchland (16), Perry (20), Hume (21)

22                                                           Film- Field of Dreams

24                                                           Film- Field of Dreams

29                                                           Fall Break- No Class

31                                                           Discussion- Field of Dreams

November 5                                          Ethics Obligations to Intimates- Read Aristotle (31), Broad (32)Jeske (36)

7                                                              Film- True Grit

12                                                           Film- True Grit

14                                                           Discussion- True Grit

19                                                           Moral Theory- Read (22) Mill and (23) Kant

21                                                           Film- Saving Private Ryan

26                                                           Film- Saving Private Ryan

28                                                           Thanksgiving- No Class

December  3                                         Final Paper presentations

5                                                              Final Papers due

IOCC 201 all classes

Reading Calendar

IOCC 201 Fall 2013

September

9                                              Homer

11                                           Greek Philosophy – Plato’s Ion

13                                           Plato- Republic VII- Ion

16                                           Plato - Apology

18                                           Intro to Aristotle

20                                           The 4 Causes

23                                           Poetics (all) – meet in Applebee Gallery

25                                           Ethics I and II

27                                           Politics I and II

30                                           Exam I

October

2                                              Intro to the Hebrew tradition

4                                              Genesis Chapters 1-22

7                                              Joshua - All

9                                              Isaiah (will post Chapters)

11                                           The Gospel of Mark

14                                           Intro to Christianity

16                                           The Gospel of Mark

18                                           Paul’s Letter to the Romans

21                                           Intro to The Islamic Tradition

23                                           Koran (will be posted)                  

25                                           Koran

28                                                           No Class- Fall Break

30                                                           Koran

November

1                                                              Exam II

4                                                              Intro to the Roman World

6                                                              Roman Reading Packet (Library)

8                                                              Roman Readings

11                                                           Roman Reading Packet

13                                                           The Early Church

15                                                           The Early Church Readings

18                                                           The Early Church Readings  

20                                                           Augustine

22                                                           Augustine

25                                                           Late Islam and Aristotle

27                                                           No Class- Thanksgiving

29                                                           No Class-Thanksgiving

December

2                                                              Late Islam and the Early Church

4                                                              Transition from 201 to 301

6                                                              Last Day of Class- Papers Due! Exam III

A River Runs Through It guide.

Philosophy 250: Philosophy Through Film

Movie Guide:  A River Runs Through It

Based on the novel by Norman Maclean (1976)

Main Characters to watch:

Norman Maclean, Paul Maclean (MacLean), Jesse Burns, The Rev. John Maclean, Neil Burns

The central metaphor (Greek-“to carry meaning”) of the film is fly –fishing, therefore pay particular attention to those scenes as they carry the meaning of God’s supposed creation as represented in St. Thomas Aquinas’ Fourth Way.

Make sure you are very well acquainted with The Fourth Way by St. Aquinas while watching the film. Below you will find an excellent representation from Dr. Ted Gracyk:

The Fourth Way: Argument from Gradation of Being

1. There is a gradation to be found in things: some are better or worse than others.
2. Predications of degree require reference to the “uttermost” case (e.g., a thing is said to be hotter according as it more nearly resembles that which is hottest).
3. The maximum in any genus is the cause of all in that genus.
4. Therefore there must also be something which is to all beings the cause of their being, goodness, and every other perfection; and this we call God.

 

Norman Maclean was a devoted Aristotelian, therefore all of his works of fiction (poetry in the Greek sense) have a philosophical point delivered with intention and accuracy.  Maclean explores other philosophical areas like loss and some ethical issues, but the central point of this film is to wonder about creation and God’s hand in it; raising the question: Does God exist?  Not to make the case that Maclean believed or not, he asks a significant philosophical question and offers an answer based on a classical text that finds a home in Aristotle by way of Aquinas.

We will discuss the following questions, so have your answers prepared with two copies, one for you and one for me (word processed and printed, graded) before class on September 12.

What does Maclean mean by the statement: “There was no clear line between fly-fishing and religion in our family.”?

Why use a metronome to instruct the boys in beauty and perfection?

What skill is brought forth in perfection in each boy (Paul and Norman)?

In what ways do humans come up short of perfection?

Do we attain perfection, or do we attain a glimpse of perfection? Why?

Contrast Neil Burns and Paul Maclean in terms of light/dark, perfection/failure, authenticity/inauthenticity.  (Don’t be afraid to look these words up)

Why does Maclean make Paul “suspended” and “Free from all natural laws” at his moment of perfection?

What is the relationship between grace, art, and God?

Read the first 18 verses from the First chapter of the Gospel of John (Holy Bible).  Use these verses to make sense of the final words from the movie.  (I expect this answer to be very rich).

Does the act of fly-fishing accurately relate the Fourth Way from Aquinas? Why or why not? (another rich answer).

When it comes to fishing, Paul is creative and does not like sticking to tradition, instead he makes his own form on how to fly-fish.   Norman follows his father’s form and the “proper” way to fly fish.  Can both see God in creation, or is it only open to Norman? Why or why not?

Will someone like Neil ever see God through the Fourth Way? Why?

Bonus question: Why is the rot-gut whisky labeled 3-7-77?

 

Philosophy Through Film Revised Calendar

 

Reading Calendar

August 29                                              Intro to the discipline (Russell)

September 3                                         Labor Day No Class

5                                                              Proof of God ? – Thomas Aquinas

10                                                           Film A River Runs Through It

12                                                           Film A River Runs Through It

17                                                           Discussion- A River Runs Through It

17                                                           The Problem of Perception- Read Descartes (1), Locke (2),Putnam (6)

19                                                           Film Ghost Dog

24                                                           Film Ghost Dog

26                                                           Discussion- Ghost Dog

October 1                                              Free Will- Read Aristotle (41), Hume (42), Lucas (44)

3                                                              Film- No Country for Old Men

8                                                              Film- No Country for Old Men

10                                                           Discussion – No Country for Old Men

15                                                           Mid-Term Exam

18                                                           Personal Identity – Read Chruchland (16), Perry (20), Hume (21)

22                                                           Film- Field of Dreams

24                                                           Film- Field of Dreams

29                                                           Fall Break- No Class

31                                                           Discussion- Field of Dreams

November 5                                          Ethics Obligations to Intimates- Read Aristotle (31), Broad (32)Jeske (36)

7                                                              Film- True Grit

12                                                           Film- True Grit

14                                                           Discussion- True Grit

19                                                           Moral Theory- Read (22) Mill and (23) Kant

21                                                           Film- Saving Private Ryan

26                                                           Film- Saving Private Ryan

28                                                           Thanksgiving- No Class

December  3                                         Final Paper presentations

5                                                              Final Papers due

IOCC 201

Extra Credit: 2 points for attending the Speaker Series this Thursday (9-5-13) 7:30pm Thoresen auditorium.  Sign the sheet AFTER the event, find me in the atrium.
Dr. Berg