Philosophy & Ethics

The Philosopher’s Corner: Exploring Philosophical Frameworks of the Past to Build Critical Thinkers of the Future

From the 5th century BC to 6th century AD, this course takes a deep dive into the past works of the greatest thinkers in the history of ancient philosophy. Whether it’s Socrates in Ancient Western Tradition or Xunzi in the Ancient Eastern Tradition, this course aims to cover a range of philosophical thought.

Throughout the journey of the course, students are presented with questions that spur critical thinking, all while staying grounded in the text. These questions can include: Are humans inherently good? What is the relationship between the self and others? How does one act with virtue? Generating answers to these questions provides a platform for students to grow their capacity for problem-solving and logical thinking.

This class is made up of three components: reading, writing, and in-class discussion. Each week, students are assigned a specific text to read prior to the class period. In addition to reading, students are to provide written responses to stimulating questions provided ahead of time, inviting them to dig deeper into certain elements of the text. During the class period, students generate discussion by both challenging each other’s interpretations of the text and collaborating to develop agreed upon solutions.

Homework Expectations: Students can expect an average reading time of 1-2 hours, not exceeding 3 hours. Two texts will be required for purchase by the student, while the remaining texts will be provided by the instructor. During reading, students are encouraged to be active readers. Being an active reader includes engaging with text by 1. underlining text excerpts that you find interesting 2. writing comments in the margins about observations you make, and 3. creating questions about in-text material that you would like to know more about. Students can expect an average writing time of 1 hour, not exceeding two hours. The writing will be made up of responses to questions provided by the instructor ahead of time. Responses should be at least one paragraph. Furthermore, students are expected to pay careful attention to their prose, making sure sentences follow logically, and avoiding any punctuation or grammar errors.

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