First Day of Class

Posted: Wed, Jan 21, 2026

Today

  • Welcome! :-)
    • About us: Ding and Syan
    • Please form small groups of 3–4, introduce yourselves, and exchange contact info
    • Course website: https://intro.dingherself.com
  • Course overview: The what, why, and how of philosophy
  • Advice from previous students
  • Course logistics
  • Questions? & Plans for next week

Philosophy: What, why, and how?

A quick word about materials & interactions in our class

  • Some of our readings and discussions can be personally difficult; we’re here if you need to talk.
  • Philosophy is full of disagreements, but you can disagree without being a prick—let’s take care of each other!
  • When I or your TA challenges you with follow-up questions, it means we are interested in what you are saying, not that we’re upset with you!!
  • I like to compare teaching to “crowd work” in standup comedy. I don’t mind questions or occasional interjections (we may adjust as we go). And my apologies if I interject—I’m working on it!
  • Sometimes people read my sense of humor as passive aggression; again, I apologize!

Philosophy: What?

How are Calvin and Hobbes talking past each other?

Discussion question: How do different disciplines interpret what the question “why are we here?” is asking? What seems to be different about philosophy’s approach in particular?

  • Astronomy?
  • Evolutionary biology?
  • Religion?
  • History?
  • Women’s and gender studies?
  • Philosophy??

Canonical categories of philosophical questions:

  • Metaphysics (reality): Are we anywhere? Who are we? What is the nature of our reality?
  • Epistemology (knowledge): How do we know we are here? (Do we know?)
  • Ethics (good/bad, right/wrong, etc.): What are we here for? Is it good that we are here?
  • Political Philosophy (how should we live together?): How should we be here?

A historically narrow (Western) canon of philosophy has been slowly expanding; we’ll spend a lot of time together thinking about how—as well as why this is needed in the first place.

Philosophy: Why?

Jennifer Morton, in today’s reading, considers three answers:

  • Philosophy teaches critical thinking and analytical writing.
    • Morton finds this “dispassionate answer” to be “rather disappointing” (p. 103) Why do you think that is?
  • Philosophy aims at fundamental truths.
    • Why does Morton reject this answer as well? Is this right?
  • Philosophy offers an “antidote to the uncritical acceptance of the world and ourselves as we are.”
    • What does this amount to? Morton on the merely critical vs. also constructive/imaginative/remedial.

Discussion question: Does Morton also sell philosophy short?

Philosophy: How?

Philosophy is a distinctive genre of texts; we are going to work with primary rather than secondary texts.

  • Philosophy is egalitarian: We treat even the most famous philosophers as equal participants in a long conversation.
  • Philosophy is anti-dogmatic: We don’t believe something because parents, society, etc., tell us so; we believe what we reflectively endorse and can “own up to.”
  • Philosophy is democratic: No interpretation should be taken for granted; we can and are all really just trying to figure things out.

Philosophy is an activity we do, not specific facts to be memorized.

  • For me, a philosophy classroom is not where students come to passively learn about different philosophies (though we will of course do a lot of learning!).
  • It’s where we come to do philosophy together—think of us as a book club!

We will approach this class as a first course in philosophy.

  • Take a look at all the helpful advice from previous students.
  • Read the assigned texts carefully and critically before class (see also the participation section of our syllabus for advice).
  • Come to class with questions or just things you want to discuss from the readings!
  • Bring a copy of the readings with you.
  • There will be a handout posted the course website, but take your own notes as well.
  • Talk through your thoughts with the class, and ask lots of questions.
  • Ideas are powerful—don’t underestimate them!
  • They are also deeply personal relevant; philosophy isn’t just intellectual. Think about the ideas in this class in relation to your own experiences and the world around you!

Course Logistics

  • Course website: https://intro.dingherself.com
  • Reading schedule
  • Assignments & grading
  • Excused absences & extensions
  • Emergencies & makeups
  • Office hours
  • Emails
  • Waitlist & access to readings
  • Questions?
  • Plans for Monday