FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE COURSE DESCRIPTIONCOURSE SCHEDULEWRITING A PHILOSOPHY PAPER
Spring 2002 Email: fritzman@lclark.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this course, we will study the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche, concentrating our attention especially on two of his later books, Beyond Good and Evil and The Genealogy of Morality. There is 5 required texts for this course: Michael Tanner, Nietzsche: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press. In addition to learning about Nietzsche, this course also will provide you with the skills required to succeed in professional or graduate school. In preparation for each class meeting, you should have read the assigned material. You should arrive in class with prepared questions or comments about the assigned reading. Each student will be a precis on almost every reading assignment. In addition, you will write an explication and an argumentative paper (which includes a prospectus, a draft, and a mandatory rewrite). The precis will be weighted equally, and together will count for 10% of your final grade. The explication will count for 20% of your final grade. The argumentative paper will count for 70% of your final grade (the prospectus of the paper will be worth 5%, the draft will be worth 10%, and the rewrite will be worth 55%). Participation and attendance are mandatory. The grading scale is as follows: A = 93%-100%, A- = 90%-92%, B+ = 86%-89%, B = 83%-85%, B- = 80%-82%, C+ = 76%-79%, C = 73%-75%, C- = 70%-72%, D+ = 66%-69%, D = 60%-65%, and F = 0%-59%. A precis will be due almost every class session. Each precis will be one typed page -- never longer -- double-spaced, with 1 inch margins on the right & left sides and the top & bottom. It must be at least 3/4 of a page in length. Use a 12-point Times or Times Roman font. There will be no spelling or grammatical errors in your precis. Your name will typed in the upper right-hand corner. In each precis, you will summarize -- in your own words, without using any quotes -- the assigned reading's main claims, as well as the reasons which are given to support those claims. You will not include any opinion, evaluation, or commentary. At the bottom of each precis, or on the back, you will write one question that you have about the reading; this question may be handwritten. You will receive 1 point for each precis which meets all of the above requirements, and 2 points if the precis is excellent. precis are due at the beginning of class. I never will accept a late precis, but I will allow you to drop one. The explication should be 4-5 typed pages, double-spaced. You will sign up for a date on which you will present your explication. On the day you present, you will distribute copies to all of the persons in this class. This will require, of course, that you have enough copies made so that each member of the class has one. You first will read your explication, and then you and I will serve as the main resource persons for fielding questions concerning the material. Since the class discussion will be centered around the explication, it is crucial that you distribute the explication the class session when you present it, and that you actually be in class to read your explication. The primary purpose of the explication is to summarize, consolidate, and explicate the central issues, main points, and key motifs of the assigned reading in order to facilitate class discussion of the material. It is important that the explication contextualize the reading by describing briefly both how the reading is a continuation and development of material which has come before, and how it contributes to the overall trajectory of the thinker's thought. While the explication is not intended to be a research paper, it should reflect an acquaintance with the requisite secondary literature. This means that you must cite at least four secondary sources you consulted while writing your explication. A student presenting an explication will not be required to submit a precis of that material too. The argumentative paper should be 10-12 typed pages, double-spaced. Except for the length, the paper should follow the same format requirement as the precis (see the additional helps at the end of this syllabus). There should be no spelling or grammatical errors in your paper. It must employ argumentation. You will choose your thesis, but it must be based on the readings for this course. This paper may emphasize either a historical or theoretical interpretation. In either case, you should carefully state the problem you intend to treat, explain its significance, assess its possible solutions, propose an hypothesis, argue convincingly for that hypothesis, and eliminate the major (published or imagined) competing hypotheses. You should use a half-dozen or more high-quality commentaries or articles. The Philosopher's Index is available online. Several weeks before the draft is due, you will submit a prospectus of this paper -- 4-5 typed pages, double-spaced -- in which you: (1) indicate the topic and thesis of your paper, (2) fully describe the problem or issue to be treated, (3) outline your anticipated procedure and probable conclusion, and (4) include an annotated bibliography of works to be consulted (a minimum of 6 books or articles, with at least a paragraph discussing the relevance of each work to your project). A word to the wise: it would be a marvelous idea to begin thinking today about what your thesis will be. I want you to succeed, and so I am requiring you to make appointments to speak with me outside of class prior to submitting your prospectus, your draft, and your rewrite. I will suggest useful resources, and -- if necessary -- point out potential problems. When submitting your rewrite, you must hand in both the rewrite and the copy of your draft on which I have written comments. No doubt you have realized -- precis, explication, and an argumentative paper with a prospectus, draft, and a rewrite -- this course will require a lot of writing. Why? Because writing can create knowledge, and reasons often are found by writing. We write about what we already know, but we also produce knowledge as we write. Not only do we write down our thoughts, we also discover what we think as we write. Flannery O'Connor observes, "I write because I don't know what I think until I read what I have to say." The more you write, the more you will know, and the more you will discover what you think. As Rebecca West notes, "I really write to find out what I know about something and what is to be known about something...." This class will be successful only if there is a high degree of participation and attendance, and so I want you in class participating. The final grade for the course will be lowered by a full-letter grade if you miss three class sessions, the final grade will be lowered by two full-letter grades if you miss four class sessions, and you will be withdrawn from the course if you miss five or more class sessions. Further, I will not accept late work unless you can document the reason for your absence. Documenting the reason for your absence means providing a note from, for example, your doctor explaining why you were absent. Serious illnesses and emergencies will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. It is impossible to do well in this course without reading and studying the books. You should spend a minimum of 3 hours preparing for each class session. I suggest that you read the assigned material at least twice and that you take notes on what you read. You are expected to attend all class sessions, come to class having read thoroughly the assigned material, and to contribute to the discussions. Gorgias of Leontini maintained that "those who neglect philosophy and spend their time on ordinary studies are like the suitors who desired Penelope but slept with her maids." In philosophy, unlike ordinary studies, there are few right and wrong answers. There are better and worse arguments and ideas, however, usually in direct proportion to thoughtfulness and care. What is important is that you think for yourself, and that you develop and defend your own ideas. It would be an excellent idea to write drafts or outlines of your precis, explication, and paper (prospectus -- draft -- rewrite), and to have a comrade read them to check on spelling, grammar, development of arguments, and so forth. You are strongly encouraged to discuss the class material, your ideas, your puzzles and difficulties with each other. A word to the wise: Find a study partner to discuss things with outside of class. However, when it comes to finally writing your thoughts down, do your own writing; it is the only way you will get the full benefit of your own efforts. I will be happy to discuss ideas with you, read outlines and rough drafts, and so forth. That is partly why I keep office hours. A final word to the wise. It is not difficult to do well in this class, but it also is easy to do badly. Let me talk about the bad stuff first. You will receive a major grade reduction -- or fail this course -- if you do not read the material, seldom participate in class discussions, do not write your precis, explication, or paper, plagiarize, cheat, and so forth. About plagiarizing and cheating. All students are expected to follow Lewis & Clark College's Academic Integrity Policy. Except for highly unusual circumstances, plagiarizers and cheaters will be given an "F" for the entire course (they will not be allowed to drop or withdraw from the course). I also will turn their cases over to the Honor Board; usually, I will recommend that disciplinary penalties be assessed in addition to failing grades. It is never in your interest to plagiarize or cheat! Now for the good stuff. With a concerted effort you can do well in this class. To do well, you must participate in class discussions, read and study the assigned material, write the precis, explication, & paper, do your own work, be in class (almost) all of the time, etc. I do not grade on a curve, and so there is no good reason why you should not get an "A" for the course! Course policy on disability accommodation: If you have a disability that may impact your academic performance, you may request accommodations by submitting documentation to the Student Support Services Office, located on the ground floor of Templeton Student Center, across from the Cashier (503-768-7191). That office will notify me of the accommodations for which you are eligible.
COURSE SCHEDULE: Monday & Thursday
WRITING A PHILOSOPHY PAPERWright Morris: "You write -- and find you have something to say." A philosophy paper is argumentative rather than informative. A informative paper is one which simply reports or presents the facts as either you or someone else understands them. There are four primary rules you need to follow in writing a argumentative philosophy paper: First, you should clarify key ideas. For example, are the philosophically troublesome ideas defined? Are the theories in question clearly stated and exemplified? Second, you must test the soundness of the arguments for or against the theories in question. Are the premises true? Third, you should evaluate the theories. Are the assumptions correct? Are the consequences plausible? Fourth, most importantly, you must support what you assert with reasons! Are your claims backed with arguments? Do they follow from other claims already established? You should not support your case merely by: labeling the case as your own; asserting the case's superiority over the competition; citing an authority, whether philosophical or scientific. You must never use ad hominum arguments -- that is, attacking a person's character or circumstances, rather than criticizing that person's arguments. Your paper will be evaluated on the following sorts of criteria: Is your case supported with arguments? Is the paper clearly written? Have you fairly and accurately presented other's views? Is your paper well organized? Have you tried to think for yourself? Organizational strategies: Formulating the problem: Focus the general topic you have decided to deal with into a specific question or statement which will be the thesis of your paper. Clarify key terms. Think through any assumption of the question or statement you are attempting to answer or discuss -- how do these influence the kind of answers that might be given? Achieving clarity. Some rules of thumb for presenting a clear statement of your ideas: Avoid vagueness, particularly of key terms and sentences; a vague expression is one which fails to specify exactly to what objects or circumstances it should be applied -- give definitions, use examples, restate things in different words, etc. Avoid ambiguity; ambiguity happens when the reader is unsure which among several possible meanings of an expression is intended. Minimize your use of technical or profound-sounding expressions like "reality," "absolute," "subjective," or "cosmic." Do not rely heavily on metaphors and analogies; metaphors can be used in addition to, never in place of, argumentation. Make what you mean and what you say harmonize; make sure that your words actually say what you intend. Using examples: Remember that examples are not arguments, but illustrating devices. Think through carefully the relation between the examples and what it is you wish to illustrate. Writing well: Keep your sentences short! Use devices that tell your readers where you have been and where you expect to go -- for example, "Let us now turn to our first argument," or "Following my presentation of theory X, I shall offer two criticisms of it." Do not pad your paper with too many examples, restatements of the obvious, and extended quotations. Use active voice rather than passive voice -- for example, instead of writing "Theory X was earlier shown by me to be false," write "I have demonstrated X to be false." Guidelines for Submitting Finished Papers: All papers must be typed, double-spaced. You should number your pages. Your paper should not contain any spelling or grammatical errors. Do not quadruple-space between paragraphs. If at all possible, use a computer or a word-processor when writing your paper; this will make revising much easier. Do not make corrections on your paper -- if you find a mistake, retype that page. The copy you submit must be clean and printed with a dark ribbon. Margins should be 1 inch at the top, bottom, and on the right & left sides. If you are using a computer, use a size 12 Times or Times Roman font. Papers must meet the required length. Papers must be titled. Do not include a title page. In the upper-right corner of the first page, type your name, the course number, and the date. Staple your pages once in the upper-left corner. Do not use folders or those plastic things -- use a stapler. You must keep an extra copy of your paper -- if I cannot find your paper, I will assume that you did not submit one. When you submit a rewrite, you must hand in both the rewrite and the copy of your draft on which I have written comments. All papers must be turned in on time! Writing an excellent paper can get you more than a good grade. It can serve as a writing sample when applying to graduate schools. There is honor and glory too! There are a number of philosophy journals for undergraduates. Here is a list of some of them: Aporia, Carleton University Student Journal of Philosophy, The Dialectic: University of New Hampshire Undergraduate Philosophy Journal, Dialogue, Discourse, The Dualist, Episteme, Exordium, Hampshire College Journal of Philosophy, The Lyceum, The Philosopher, Philosophika: The Internet Journal of Philosophy, Public Sphere, Purdue Calumet Undergraduate Conference in English and Philosophy, Santa Clara Undergraduate Philosophy Conference, Student Philosophical Journal, and Student Philosophy Online.
LINKS TO NIETZSCHE SITES
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