P: (845) 657-2373
Classes:
Links
Advanced Philosophy
Course Syllabus
Advanced Philosophy Course Syllabus
Mr. Colevas
Advanced Philosophy is a continuation of the philosophical reflection and examination of some of the central questions of human existence to which you were introduced in Introduction to Philosophy. As was the case in the introductory course, this course is, to some extent, exploratory. That is, as your instructor, my overarching goal is to continue to introduce to you philosophers, arguments, concepts, schools of thought, etc. in the hopes that you will continue the study of philosophy at a higher level.
However, contrary to the introductory course, this course will involve the study of philosophers, representative texts, and representative arguments and concepts from a more diverse set of philosophers. The course is largely discussion-based and will place an emphasis on the careful reading of texts, critical and systematic thinking, and the verbal and written expression of ideas.
“I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong.”
- Bertrand Russell
“Philosophy is a battle against the bewitchment of our intelligence by means of language.”
- Ludwig Wittgenstein
Course Outline
Unit I – A Brief Review
Unit II – Rationality, Epistemology, and Truth
- Includes Philosophy of Language
Unit III – Ethics and Political and Social Philosophy
- Includes Meta-Ethics and concepts of justice
Unit IV – Human Life and its Meaning
Grading Policy
Essays: 40%
- Essays are assigned as opportunities for students to analyze and synthesize material presented during class.
Quizzes: 30%
- Quizzes will help to ensure that students understand terminology and are able to match philosophers and schools of thought with arguments and other concepts.
Philosophy Notebook: 30%
- See next page…
Final Exam: 15% of your grade for the course
Classroom Rules:
1. Be respectful!!! Disrespect in any form towards Mr. Colevas and/or other students will not be tolerated.
2. If you are absent, you are responsible for approaching Mr. Colevas and retrieving any missed notes/assignments. I will not track you down!
3. Late work will receive a maximum grade of 75%. No late work will be accepted more than one day late!
4. Essays must be typed in 12-point, Times New Roman font and double-spaced. I will not grade an essay unless it is in the above format.
5. CHEATING AND/OR PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED!!! ANY WORK SUBMITTED DEEMED TO BE A RESULT OF CHEATING OR PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN A GRADE OF 0.
The Philosophy Notebook: A Guide
Your Philosophy Notebook is an opportunity to record your course-related thoughts, experiences, and reflections. It is another way to get involved and become more interested and engaged with the material. I will be reading your Notebooks in order to try to create more engaging discussions by moving us toward issues, concerns, and readings that you find relevant. Consider the following when writing in your notebooks:
- Write as though you are talking to yourself or a close friend.
- Try to write in a way that very closely resembles the way you think!
- Don’t be afraid to “appear stupid.”
- Don’t censor what you are thinking ahead of time. A train of thought that at first appears aimless or silly may turn into something quite focused and strong.
- Don’t be afraid to argue.
- Express negative thoughts, both in reaction to what you are reading and/or what we are doing in class.
- In the academic world, argument and disagreement are not necessarily insults or rudeness!
- Make connections!
- As you explore how one idea or concept relates to another, you begin to expand your understanding of both ideas or concepts!
|
|
100% |
80% |
60% |
0 |
|
Commitment |
The entry is long enough to accommodate extensive thought and analysis. It is provocative and exciting. |
The entry is not long enough to accommodate extensive thought and analysis. It is sometimes provocative and exciting, at other times it is lazy and flat. |
The entry shows very little thought and analysis and is not very long. It is lazy and flat. |
No entry. |
|
Ambition |
The entry tries to stretch or pose questions which engage the writer but for which the writer has no answer. The entry is willing to make connections between the course and the writer’s own experience. |
The entry tries to stretch or pose questions which engage the writer but for which the writer has no answer. The entry is willing to make connections between the course and the writer’s own experience. |
The entry does not pose questions which engage the writer and does not make connections. |
No entry. |
|
Engagement |
The entry shows a great deal of engagement with the material. Most thoughts, arguments, questions, etc. can be traced back to the material. |
The entry shows some engagement with the material. |
The entry shows very little engagement with the material. |
No entry. |
Mythology
Course Syllabus
Mythology Course Syllabus
Mr. Colevas Room 115, 2019-20
“A myth or legend is simply not made up out of a vacuum. Nothing is – or can be. Somehow there is a kernel of truth behind it, however distorted that might be.”
— Isaac Asimov
Welcome to Mythology! During our time together, we will read and analyze myths from around the world, including creation and destruction myths, hero stories, trickster tales, folktales, and fairytales. Students will also be exposed to modern adaptations of myths in music, visual art, film, etc.
The course begins with familiarizing students with the nature of myth and the means by which peoples define their society and its place in the world, thereby affirming its shared values. To engage in this process successfully dictates that this course approaches mythology within the context of several academic disciplines, including:
- Cultural Anthropology
- Comparative Religion
- Psychology
- Philosophy
- Literature
- History
- Sociology
In dealing with how various societies come to terms with the human condition, students in this course will be exposed to societal structures, value systems, practices, ways of thinking, and art that differ greatly from our own. It is important to keep an open mind and attempt to understand why and how different societies are structured the way they are and how these structures dictate expressive culture.
The course will examine several questions, including:
- Why study mythology?
- What are the differences between how the word “myth” is used in common vernacular and academic settings?
- How can we define the word “myth”?
- What are the origins and functions of mythology?
- How are societies structured?
- How do myths differ from one culture to the next, and why?
- What does a culture’s mythology indicate about its people?
- What is the difference between myth, legend, and folktale?
- What is the purpose of a ritual?
- How do myths help us to understand the nature of culture and the predicament humanity currently finds itself?
This class is designed to challenge your intellect and provide you with knowledge gleaned from thousands of years of human existence. Have fun!!!
Course Outline
Unit I – Myth and Meaning: A Complicated Relationship
Unit II – Ways of Understanding Myth
Unit III – Creation and Destruction
Unit IV – Heroes, Tricksters, and Ritual
Unit V – Folktales and Fairy Tales
Grading Policy
Essays: 40%
- Essays are assigned as opportunities for students to analyze and synthesize material presented during class.
Written Assignments: 30%
- These assignments are designed as critical thinking responses to various questions posed during class. If you rarely share your opinions in class, it becomes that much more important to share your opinions via written assignments.
Quizzes: 30%
- Quizzes will be quite simple in nature, focusing mostly on terminology.
The grade on your FINAL EXAM will constitute 15% of your grade for this course!
CLASSROOM RULES:
1. All school policies apply to the classroom.
2. Be respectful!!! Disrespect in any form towards Mr. Colevas and/or other students will not be tolerated.
3. NO FOOD OR DRINK (except water) IS ALLOWED IN THE CLASSROOM, EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF A MEDICAL CONDITION!!! FOOD AND DRINK IN THE CLASSROOM MEANS SPILLS, DAMP OR WET PAPERS, GREASY PAPERS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, DISTRACTED STUDENTS!!! YOU CANNOT TAKE PROPER NOTES WHEN YOU ARE CONCENTRATING ON SPREADING CREAM CHEESE ON A BAGEL!!!
4. If you are absent, you are responsible for approaching Mr. Colevas and retrieving any missed notes/assignments. I will not track you down!
5. Late work will receive a maximum grade of 75%.
6. Essays must be typed in 12-point, Times New Roman font and double-spaced.
7. CHEATING AND/OR PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED!!! ANY WORK SUBMITTED DEEMED TO BE A RESULT OF CHEATING OR PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN A GRADE OF 0.
8. Cell phones and other electronic devices are not permitted during class time, unless authorized by a teacher. Please refer to the school’s electronics policy, reprinted here…
Onteora Middle/High School Electronic Devise Policy:
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT: Mobile phones, IPOD devices, radios, compact disc players, “Walkman” units, beepers and other audio and video reproduction units and/or distracting devices interfere with the academic environment of the school. Considering the potential for distraction and additional problems, all equipment must be turned off and not visible (including accessories) during school hours (7:40-2:35) unless authorized by the school administration. Any student observed with such devices will be referred to the building’s administration.
In the event that a student is observed utilizing an electronic device, the following shall occur:
First Offense: The device will be confiscated by a staff member and returned to the student at the conclusion of the school day by an administrator. Noncompliance will be viewed as insubordination and treated accordingly.
Second Offense: The device will be confiscated by a staff member and returned only to the student’s parent/guardian by an administrator.
Subsequent violations of this policy shall result in additional behavioral consequences, including the possibility of in or out of school suspension. Electronic recording of any sort (audio, visual, etc…) is prohibited without authorization from the building administrators and may be subject to an In or Out of School Suspension.
Philosophy
Paul Colevas
Introduction to Philosophy Course Syllabus
Mr. Colevas Room 102, 2019-20
This course is an introduction to the philosophical reflection and examination of some of the CENTRAL QUESTIONS OF HUMAN EXISTENCE. I have limited the curriculum, for the most part, to Western philosophy. Though philosophical traditions from around the world are as equally interesting and dense, there simply is not enough time to cover world philosophy.
Throughout this course, students will consider:
1. Epistemological questions concerning the possibility and nature of knowledge and truth.
2. Metaphysical questions concerning the nature of ultimate reality, the mind-body problem, consciousness, free will and determinism, personal identity, the existence of God, and death.
3. Ethical questions concerning morality, justice, and the good life.
4. Questions designed to examine human life and its meaning.
This course is largely discussion-based!!!
In structuring this course, I have attempted to combine a focus on specific philosophical problems and a historical survey of the thought of several important philosophers. As we are introduced to the philosophical problems of the course, we will also meet a number of seminal philosophers, from the ancient Greeks to modern thinkers.
Course Outline
Unit I – Philosophical Thought and the Basics of Logic
Unit II – Epistemology: The Nature of Knowledge
Unit III – Metaphysics: Mind, Body, and Personal Identity
Unit IV – Philosophy of Religion: God, Death, and Evil
Unit V – Meta-Ethics and Ethics
Unit VI – Human Life and its Meaning
Grading Policy
Accountability: 40%
- Accountability includes, but is not limited to, being on time and prepared for class, following instructions, the willingness to voice one’s opinion in class and the willingness to RESPECTFULLY listen to the opinions of others. You will receive an ACCOUNTABILITY grade, out of 25, almost every day.
Written Assignments: 30%
- These assignments are designed as critical thinking responses to various questions posed during class. If you rarely share your opinions in class, it becomes that much more important to share your opinions via written assignments.
Quizzes: 30%
- Quizzes will be extremely brief, focusing mostly on terminology.
The grade on your FINAL EXAM will constitute 15% of your grade for this course!
CLASSROOM RULES:
My desk is located in Room 102…
1. All school policies apply to the classroom.
2. Be respectful!!! Disrespect in any form towards Mr. Colevas and/or other students will not be tolerated.
3. NO FOOD OR DRINK (except water) IS ALLOWED IN THE CLASSROOM, EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF A MEDICAL CONDITION!!! FOOD AND DRINK IN THE CLASSROOM MEANS SPILLS, DAMP OR WET PAPERS, GREASY PAPERS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, DISTRACTED STUDENTS!!! YOU CANNOT TAKE PROPER NOTES WHEN YOU ARE CONCENTRATING ON SPREADING CREAM CHEESE ON A BAGEL!!!
4. If you are absent, you are responsible for approaching Mr. Colevas and retrieving any missed notes/assignments. I will not track you down!
5. Late work will receive a maximum grade of 75%. No late work will be accepted more than one day late! Do not come to me at the end of a quarter and ask to make-up assignments…it will not happen!
6. Essays must be typed in 12-point, Times New Roman font and double-spaced. I will not grade an essay unless it is in the above format.
7. CHEATING AND/OR PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED!!! ANY WORK SUBMITTED DEEMED TO BE A RESULT OF CHEATING OR PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN A GRADE OF 0.
8. Cell phones and other electronic devices are not permitted during class time, unless authorized by a teacher. If we see them, we will take them!!! This includes earphones/buds!!! ALL STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO CHECK-IN THEIR PHONES AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY CLASS PERIOD! Please refer to the school’s electronics policy, reprinted here…
Onteora Middle/High School Electronic Devise Policy:
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT: Mobile phones, IPOD devices, radios, compact disc players, “Walkman” units, beepers and other audio and video reproduction units and/or distracting devices interfere with the academic environment of the school. Considering the potential for distraction and additional problems, all equipment must be turned off and not visible (including accessories) during school hours (7:40-2:35) unless authorized by the school administration. Any student observed with such devices will be referred to the building’s administration.
In the event that a student is observed utilizing an electronic device, the following shall occur:
First Offense: The device will be confiscated by a staff member and returned to the student at the conclusion of the school day by an administrator. Noncompliance will be viewed as insubordination and treated accordingly.
Second Offense: The device will be confiscated by a staff member and returned only to the student’s parent/guardian by an administrator.
Subsequent violations of this policy shall result in additional behavioral consequences, including the possibility of in or out of school suspension. Electronic recording of any sort (audio, visual, etc…) is prohibited without authorization from the building administrators and may be subject to an In or Out of School Suspension.
Student Signature
I have read the class syllabus and understand that if I have any questions or concerns to contact Mr. Colevas via the school’s e-mail at pcolevas@onteora.k12.ny.us or by calling 657-2373 ext. 2100 and leaving a message.
X _______________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature
I have read the class syllabus and understand that if I have any questions or concerns to contact Mr. Colevas via the school’s e-mail at pcolevas@onteora.k12.ny.us or by calling 657-2373 ext. 2100 and leaving a message.
X _______________________________________________
- pc-philintro