Patriotism is not enough." But neither is anything else. Science is not enough, religion is not enough, art is not enough, politics and economics are not enough, nor is love, nor is duty, nor is action however disinterested, nor, however sublime, is contemplation. Nothing short of everything will really do."
Aldous Huxley
General Information
Contents:
- Course Description
- Works and Literature
- Units/Topics
- Key Assignments
- The Fine Print
Course Description
Philosophy in Literature will explore Western literature’s use of philosophical traditions in order to advance personal thoughts, opinions, and perspectives. Students will be introduced to broad themes in World literature, including various responses to questions regarding the nature of identity, belief, choice, and living. Units are divided thematically, and so chronology will be alluded to (though not strictly followed), so as to provide historical context. Philosophical works will be paired to literary texts in order to give a holistic, diverse set of answers to central questions such as “What is the nature of existence?” “Who am I?” “Am I free?” and “How do I live?” Students will be asked to develop ways of thinking philosophically through critical analysis of primary and secondary sources in both the literary and philosophical traditions, while also synthesizing the way in which the history of Western thought correlates with major movements in artistic periods. In this course students should expect to actively do philosophy, involving more than just reading for understanding. Students will engage in critical thinking, class and small-group discussion, written expressions and responses to each other’s papers, and topic-generated research papers.
Philosophy in Literature will explore Western literature’s use of philosophical traditions in order to advance personal thoughts, opinions, and perspectives. Students will be introduced to broad themes in World literature, including various responses to questions regarding the nature of identity, belief, choice, and living. Units are divided thematically, and so chronology will be alluded to (though not strictly followed), so as to provide historical context. Philosophical works will be paired to literary texts in order to give a holistic, diverse set of answers to central questions such as “What is the nature of existence?” “Who am I?” “Am I free?” and “How do I live?” Students will be asked to develop ways of thinking philosophically through critical analysis of primary and secondary sources in both the literary and philosophical traditions, while also synthesizing the way in which the history of Western thought correlates with major movements in artistic periods. In this course students should expect to actively do philosophy, involving more than just reading for understanding. Students will engage in critical thinking, class and small-group discussion, written expressions and responses to each other’s papers, and topic-generated research papers.
Works and Literature
Core Texts
Independent Reading Choices
Secondary Literary/Expository Selections:
Examples of (selections from) Philosophical Texts:
(and more--this is a short list)
Core Texts
- Albert Hakim, Historical Introduction to Philosophy
- C.S. Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet
- Joseph Conrad, The Secret Sharer
- Albert Camus, The Stranger
- Aldous Huxley, Point Counter Point
Independent Reading Choices
- Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale
- Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot
- Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment
- Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha
- Aldous Huxley, Island
- Franz Kafka, Metamorphosis
- Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita
- Jean-Paul Sartre, No Exit
- Henry David Thoreau, Walden
- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Rings
- Voltaire, Candide
- Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five
- Virginia Woolf, To The Lighthouse
Secondary Literary/Expository Selections:
- select short stories from Isaac Asimov
- T.S. Eliot's poetry, "The Waste Land"
- Jean-Paul Sartre's essay, "The Myth of Sisyphus"
- Walt Witman's poetry, "The Song of Myself"
- additional selections (to be added)
Examples of (selections from) Philosophical Texts:
- Plato, Politeia (The Republic)
- Aristotle, Metaphysics
- Aquinas, summa theologicae
- Descartes, Discourse on Method
- Leibniz, Monadology
- Hume, Essays Concerning Human Understanding
- Hegel, Phenomenology of Spirit
- Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling
- Heidegger, Being and Time
- additional selections (to be added)
(and more--this is a short list)
Units/Topics
Unit 1: The Nature of Belief
Essential Question(s): What is Real? What is Existence?
Purpose: to expose students to the basics of the metaphysical branch of philosophical discourse; students will begin questioning and analyzing the nature of time, space, purposeful existence, meaning, and the nature of the ‘beyond’
Topics Addressed:
Unit 2: The Question of Identity
Essential Question(s): Who am I? Who do I Know what I Know?
Purpose: to introduce students to various forms of epistemology, with particular emphasis on the empirical and non-empirical understandings of the subjective ‘I’; students will question the identity of characters in the coupled texts, which should ultimately lead to personal reflections of their own identities
Topics Addressed:
Unit 3: Of Individual Will and Choice
Essential Question(s): Am I Free? Does Anything Have Meaning?
Purpose: to develop students’ awareness of the balance between choice and responsibility and deterministic fate; students will become acquainted with deterministic views as found in religious philosophies, and compare with more free-will driven philosophies as found in the Existential and Absurdist movements, ultimately aiming to find balance to their own ideas of personal freedoms and liberties (may also include discussion of more psychological approaches, like Freudian psychoanalysis and Skinner’s behaviorism)
Topics Addressed:
Unit 4: On Proper Living
Essential Question(s): How do I apply my perspectives to my choices? How do I live consistently? What do I live for? How do I give my life meaning?
Purpose: to expose students to the final two major branches of philosophy – ethics and aesthetics; students will receive instructions in various ethical systems, as then applied on micro-scale (in personal decisions) and ultimately to macro-scale (political systems); ultimately, students will be asked to challenge the nature of their own existences, take a look at and reflect upon their own systems and choices, and support or change their current lifestyles in order to align their beliefs to their actions
Topics Addressed:
Unit 1: The Nature of Belief
Essential Question(s): What is Real? What is Existence?
Purpose: to expose students to the basics of the metaphysical branch of philosophical discourse; students will begin questioning and analyzing the nature of time, space, purposeful existence, meaning, and the nature of the ‘beyond’
Topics Addressed:
- Historical timeline of philosophical discourse, including major thinkers, movements, and shifting of emphasis and question
- Basic metaphysical systems, ranging from the Classical Forms (Plato), the modern ‘cogito, ergo sum’ (Descartes) and Categories (Kant), through post-modernism (Heidegger) and Deconstructionism (Derrida)
- Application of metaphysical approaches to the development and deviation of cultures, language, and community perspectives
- The nature of the Divine, Creation, and God – as well as alternative approaches (scientifically, atheistic and agnostic responses)
Unit 2: The Question of Identity
Essential Question(s): Who am I? Who do I Know what I Know?
Purpose: to introduce students to various forms of epistemology, with particular emphasis on the empirical and non-empirical understandings of the subjective ‘I’; students will question the identity of characters in the coupled texts, which should ultimately lead to personal reflections of their own identities
Topics Addressed:
- Knowledge of the external (objective) world versus knowledge of the perceiving subjective self
- Empirical reality versus knowledge of the non-empirical
- Knowledge’s role in subject’s identity
- The failings of pure sense-perception, and the limitations of human understanding in space/time
Unit 3: Of Individual Will and Choice
Essential Question(s): Am I Free? Does Anything Have Meaning?
Purpose: to develop students’ awareness of the balance between choice and responsibility and deterministic fate; students will become acquainted with deterministic views as found in religious philosophies, and compare with more free-will driven philosophies as found in the Existential and Absurdist movements, ultimately aiming to find balance to their own ideas of personal freedoms and liberties (may also include discussion of more psychological approaches, like Freudian psychoanalysis and Skinner’s behaviorism)
Topics Addressed:
- Hard and soft Determinism, especially in religious approaches to the question of choice
- Freedom and Absolute Free-will, as found in the Theistic and Atheistic movements of Existentialism, and Absurdist, Nihilist philosophies
- Psychology’s approaches to the freedom verses determinism debate, including thinkers such as Freud, Jung, and Skinner
- Defining evil
- Systemic responses – personal and political – to the free-will debate
- The way in which choices and ‘fate’ or ‘chance’ play a role in the outcomes of decisions, a person’s experiences, traits, and personality, and the way in which these elements balance to create a narrative of one’s life (in a more individualistic, personal setting)
Unit 4: On Proper Living
Essential Question(s): How do I apply my perspectives to my choices? How do I live consistently? What do I live for? How do I give my life meaning?
Purpose: to expose students to the final two major branches of philosophy – ethics and aesthetics; students will receive instructions in various ethical systems, as then applied on micro-scale (in personal decisions) and ultimately to macro-scale (political systems); ultimately, students will be asked to challenge the nature of their own existences, take a look at and reflect upon their own systems and choices, and support or change their current lifestyles in order to align their beliefs to their actions
Topics Addressed:
- Ethical systems, ranging from objective to subjective, Ontologically-based, Consequentialism, or Utility
- Aesthetic discussions of the nature of Love, Beauty, Truth, and True Happiness (and to which aesthetic aim should one direct one’s life)
- Consistency of belief both in theoretical though and in practical application to living, and proper balance
Key Assignments
Philosophical One-Pagers
The four units of the class are divided by major philosophical and thematic questions (see outline above). Each unit incorporates a range of philosophical readings. Students will be expected to complete all required (and strongly encouraged to read suggested) readings, several of which will be discussed in detail in class. To help students process and understand the reading, as well as provide them with preparation for class discussion, students will complete ‘philosophical one-pagers’ for selected readings, as scheduled (generally the larger philosophical readings). These assignments will be one-page responses in proper format, 1.5 spacing, and will ask students simply to summarize the philosophical texts as assigned, which will be submitted the day of discussion of that specific text.
Midterm Short Papers
Throughout the semester (though not necessarily right at the midterm) students will produce short 3-page papers specifically addressing one of the four basic thematic questions of the semester: “What is the nature of existence?” “Who am I?” “Am I free?” and “How do I live?” These short papers will essentially allow students to take a more specific, (mostly) self-generated question relating to the overall topic, and elaborate upon a possible, personal response. Students will be required to synthesize the philosophical texts as well as the literary texts in addressing their self-generated responses. Due dates will be staggered throughout the semester, so that students will emphasize different aspects of the reading and/or the class content. Students will do a ‘seminar reading’ of their papers, and will be expected to know the content well enough to be able to answer questions from both the class and the teacher at the end of their reading. Papers will be graded by philosophical and literary content, depth of insight and analysis, format and language, and speaking and answering questions as discussion in class. The expectation of the assignment is to give students a starting point for their larger research papers at the end of the semester. In order to expand upon the same level of creativity utilized by the literary writers being highlighted in the course, students may choose to format this paper as a 3-page research-style paper, a 3-page dialogue between author(s) and/or philosopher(s) as read in class and understood by the student regarding the topic in discussion at the time of the due date, or a more creative work such as an extended poem or short story utilizing similar stylistic techniques or philosophical systems as being studied at the time of the assignment. More creative choices, as always, need to show high level of depth and understanding; students will be expected to give commentary at the culmination of reading the primary work to class, so as to explain the techniques being used and the choices in philosophical content as implicit in the piece’s construction – rigour of creative project will be expected to match that of the research-style paper; thus, students will need to submit formal proposals if they intend to take this option, and must integrate at minimum one philosophical text and one literary text from their readings. They will also be expected to submit written commentary to explain their use of such texts, and their works’ philosophical contribution.
Response Papers
Response papers will be completed in conjunction with the ‘midterm’ short papers. Students will be paired in such a way that one student will complete the 3-page short paper, and will submit their paper three days before the in-class due date to their peer. The peer will then read, critically examine, and then create his or her own one-page response to the individual’s short paper. This one-page response should give a short explication of the 3-page paper (in a short introductory paragraph), should evaluate the paper’s argument, and then further expand upon a question, concern, or logical error or conclusion drawn from the short paper. This will also be presented in class, at the conclusion of the seminar reading of the 3-page short paper. Student completing the accompanying one-page response paper should also expect to answer questions in class from both students and teacher. Papers will be graded by philosophical and literary content, depth of insight and analysis, format and language, and speaking and answering questions as discussion in class.
Major Research Paper
At the end of the semester, students will craft an 8-page MLA-formatted research paper responding to a self-generated topic regarding any of the major themes and philosophical questions pursued in the course. They are encouraged to focus on a specific, detailed aspect of one of the literary texts, and the way in which it utilizes one or several of the ideas presented by the philosophical works read in the semester. Students will engage in active research, using library and internet resources, author biographies, critical and analytic commentaries, etc. and must integrate at least one literary source from class, and at least one of the philosophical readings. Papers must have a clearly-stated thesis, and must aim to reach conclusions tied to the issues raised and the thesis that is proposed. Students will be guided through the process of researching and crafting a paper of extended length, and process will be emphasized as well as the final product, and may be integrated to many of the above assignments as well (e.g. reflections about the process on the students’ blogs, use of the short papers as ‘stepping stones’ or prewriting in the creation of the longer work, etc. Thesis proposals and guidance in solidifying specific and detailed topics will be specifically emphasized.) Students are strongly encouraged to use the three-page midterm assignment as a stepping stone toward the longer paper, but are not required to do so.
Philosophical One-Pagers
The four units of the class are divided by major philosophical and thematic questions (see outline above). Each unit incorporates a range of philosophical readings. Students will be expected to complete all required (and strongly encouraged to read suggested) readings, several of which will be discussed in detail in class. To help students process and understand the reading, as well as provide them with preparation for class discussion, students will complete ‘philosophical one-pagers’ for selected readings, as scheduled (generally the larger philosophical readings). These assignments will be one-page responses in proper format, 1.5 spacing, and will ask students simply to summarize the philosophical texts as assigned, which will be submitted the day of discussion of that specific text.
Midterm Short Papers
Throughout the semester (though not necessarily right at the midterm) students will produce short 3-page papers specifically addressing one of the four basic thematic questions of the semester: “What is the nature of existence?” “Who am I?” “Am I free?” and “How do I live?” These short papers will essentially allow students to take a more specific, (mostly) self-generated question relating to the overall topic, and elaborate upon a possible, personal response. Students will be required to synthesize the philosophical texts as well as the literary texts in addressing their self-generated responses. Due dates will be staggered throughout the semester, so that students will emphasize different aspects of the reading and/or the class content. Students will do a ‘seminar reading’ of their papers, and will be expected to know the content well enough to be able to answer questions from both the class and the teacher at the end of their reading. Papers will be graded by philosophical and literary content, depth of insight and analysis, format and language, and speaking and answering questions as discussion in class. The expectation of the assignment is to give students a starting point for their larger research papers at the end of the semester. In order to expand upon the same level of creativity utilized by the literary writers being highlighted in the course, students may choose to format this paper as a 3-page research-style paper, a 3-page dialogue between author(s) and/or philosopher(s) as read in class and understood by the student regarding the topic in discussion at the time of the due date, or a more creative work such as an extended poem or short story utilizing similar stylistic techniques or philosophical systems as being studied at the time of the assignment. More creative choices, as always, need to show high level of depth and understanding; students will be expected to give commentary at the culmination of reading the primary work to class, so as to explain the techniques being used and the choices in philosophical content as implicit in the piece’s construction – rigour of creative project will be expected to match that of the research-style paper; thus, students will need to submit formal proposals if they intend to take this option, and must integrate at minimum one philosophical text and one literary text from their readings. They will also be expected to submit written commentary to explain their use of such texts, and their works’ philosophical contribution.
Response Papers
Response papers will be completed in conjunction with the ‘midterm’ short papers. Students will be paired in such a way that one student will complete the 3-page short paper, and will submit their paper three days before the in-class due date to their peer. The peer will then read, critically examine, and then create his or her own one-page response to the individual’s short paper. This one-page response should give a short explication of the 3-page paper (in a short introductory paragraph), should evaluate the paper’s argument, and then further expand upon a question, concern, or logical error or conclusion drawn from the short paper. This will also be presented in class, at the conclusion of the seminar reading of the 3-page short paper. Student completing the accompanying one-page response paper should also expect to answer questions in class from both students and teacher. Papers will be graded by philosophical and literary content, depth of insight and analysis, format and language, and speaking and answering questions as discussion in class.
Major Research Paper
At the end of the semester, students will craft an 8-page MLA-formatted research paper responding to a self-generated topic regarding any of the major themes and philosophical questions pursued in the course. They are encouraged to focus on a specific, detailed aspect of one of the literary texts, and the way in which it utilizes one or several of the ideas presented by the philosophical works read in the semester. Students will engage in active research, using library and internet resources, author biographies, critical and analytic commentaries, etc. and must integrate at least one literary source from class, and at least one of the philosophical readings. Papers must have a clearly-stated thesis, and must aim to reach conclusions tied to the issues raised and the thesis that is proposed. Students will be guided through the process of researching and crafting a paper of extended length, and process will be emphasized as well as the final product, and may be integrated to many of the above assignments as well (e.g. reflections about the process on the students’ blogs, use of the short papers as ‘stepping stones’ or prewriting in the creation of the longer work, etc. Thesis proposals and guidance in solidifying specific and detailed topics will be specifically emphasized.) Students are strongly encouraged to use the three-page midterm assignment as a stepping stone toward the longer paper, but are not required to do so.
The Fine Print
Regarding Plagiarism
Doing your own work is absolutely essential. On all papers, you must cite sources for any information, quotations, or ideas which are not your own, using MLA standard citation methods. To be clear: you should not copy and paste text from the internet into your papers and pass it off as your own writing. You should not turn in a paper that someone else has written or that you have bought or downloaded from online. Plagiarized work, or other forms of academic dishonesty, will automatically receive a zero for the assignment, and may cause failure of the class, especially for major assignments. Violations will be taken seriously; please see the Ethics Code.
Technology Use in Class
Classes will be very busy, and so distractions need to be held to a minimum as best as possible. I ask that cell phones and tablets be used only for school-appropriate functions, and not for games and texting. You may also bring a laptop to use for note taking or accessing relevant course materials during discussion. Please refrain from using the all devices as a distraction to yourself or others. If problems persist, I reserve the right to confiscate, and contact home regarding the issue.
Turning in Papers
For minor assignments (Philosophy one-pagers, 3-page Midterm papers, and 1-page Response papers), students will be expected to have printed copies for submission in the class on the individual due dates. For major assignments (Research papers), students will be expected to submit before midnight on the due date, to turnitin.com. Work submitted late is subject to a 10% penalty each day it is late. If you know you will be absent on a specific due date, or if you will be out for an extended amount of time, please communicate beforehand regarding the nature of your absence, so that accommodations can be made. Extensions will be granted only on a case by case basis, and are not guaranteed.
Help and Resources
If you are feeling lost or overwhelmed…
1. Make an appointment to meet with me.
You are welcome to email me, or make an appointment to meet with me during my free periods (as noted above). Many questions and issues can be easily resolved this way.
2. Use online resources.
On our website, you will find links to many useful and appropriate philosophical aids. There are also podcasts, web-based videos, and dedicated websites devoted to helping break down the material we will be covering in class. All you have to do is search for it!
3. Check out the Library.
Our library staff is eager to help guide your research and to orient you to both physical and digital resources.
4. Visit the Young Philosophers Society.
Every Wednesday at lunch, YPS meets in my room to discuss philosophical topics, engage in research and development, visit collegiate programs, and attend mini-lectures. This will be a great place to learn more, ask questions, and engage in further discussion with peers – whether for clarification or to dig a little deeper.
Regarding Plagiarism
Doing your own work is absolutely essential. On all papers, you must cite sources for any information, quotations, or ideas which are not your own, using MLA standard citation methods. To be clear: you should not copy and paste text from the internet into your papers and pass it off as your own writing. You should not turn in a paper that someone else has written or that you have bought or downloaded from online. Plagiarized work, or other forms of academic dishonesty, will automatically receive a zero for the assignment, and may cause failure of the class, especially for major assignments. Violations will be taken seriously; please see the Ethics Code.
Technology Use in Class
Classes will be very busy, and so distractions need to be held to a minimum as best as possible. I ask that cell phones and tablets be used only for school-appropriate functions, and not for games and texting. You may also bring a laptop to use for note taking or accessing relevant course materials during discussion. Please refrain from using the all devices as a distraction to yourself or others. If problems persist, I reserve the right to confiscate, and contact home regarding the issue.
Turning in Papers
For minor assignments (Philosophy one-pagers, 3-page Midterm papers, and 1-page Response papers), students will be expected to have printed copies for submission in the class on the individual due dates. For major assignments (Research papers), students will be expected to submit before midnight on the due date, to turnitin.com. Work submitted late is subject to a 10% penalty each day it is late. If you know you will be absent on a specific due date, or if you will be out for an extended amount of time, please communicate beforehand regarding the nature of your absence, so that accommodations can be made. Extensions will be granted only on a case by case basis, and are not guaranteed.
Help and Resources
If you are feeling lost or overwhelmed…
1. Make an appointment to meet with me.
You are welcome to email me, or make an appointment to meet with me during my free periods (as noted above). Many questions and issues can be easily resolved this way.
2. Use online resources.
On our website, you will find links to many useful and appropriate philosophical aids. There are also podcasts, web-based videos, and dedicated websites devoted to helping break down the material we will be covering in class. All you have to do is search for it!
3. Check out the Library.
Our library staff is eager to help guide your research and to orient you to both physical and digital resources.
4. Visit the Young Philosophers Society.
Every Wednesday at lunch, YPS meets in my room to discuss philosophical topics, engage in research and development, visit collegiate programs, and attend mini-lectures. This will be a great place to learn more, ask questions, and engage in further discussion with peers – whether for clarification or to dig a little deeper.