To this end you should prepare yourselves for the serious work of reading class texts carefully and critically, speaking openly and independently with your classmates, listening thoughtfully to your instructor, and writing purposefully and cogently on tests and papers. Beyond these academic goals, you should aim as well to do philosophy by understanding its traditional vocabulary and scope, its reflective substance and logical style. The most general goal of philosophy is, in short, well-reasoned thinking. Woodhouse's chapters on philosophical discourse, logic, and argumentation offer good tips on doing philosophy while Klemke's introductions give sharply-focused overviews of basic issues. Klemke's readings also provide accessible samples of serious thinking.
Related handouts provide others.
Course Requirements Our assigned readings are given in the calendar below. Each of you, whether with a pen, typewriter, or computer, is required to write a brief set of responses to at least three primary readings each week. Our first handouts define the larger philosophical idea and ideal of conversation. Including the final, you will all take three unit tests. They examine your understanding of issues, ideas, and texts presented by all the authors studied in each of three units.