Syllabus

Last updated: Fri, Aug 29, 2025

Phil 1001: Introduction to Philosophy
Barnard College, Fall 2025
Sec. 002: MW 10:10–11:25am, Milbank Hall 327, CourseWorks
Sec. 003: MW 4:10–5:25pm, Diana Center 203, CourseWorks

Course Description

This course introduces students to philosophers’ attempts at confronting many of life’s great questions—why are we here? is there a higher power? do we live in a simulation? can computers think? is time travel possible? are we truly free? what’s a good life? how should we live together? what does justice require of us?

We will proceed roughly chronologically, traveling from the ancient Chinese and Greek traditions to medieval Christian, Islamic, and Jewish philosophies; to modern European philosophy; and to contemporary analytic and continental traditions.

In addition to the philosophical issues, texts, and figures we will cover, this course also aims more broadly to familiarize students with the methods and tools of the humanities, focusing on close reading, conceptual analysis, critical thinking, analytical writing, argument reconstruction, normative reasoning, and perspective taking.

Expected Learning Outcomes

In Phil 1001, students will learn to

  1. Analyze philosophical questions from metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and political theory;
  2. Employ humanistic methods and tools to develop, articulate, and argue for their own views on these philosophical questions;
  3. Charitably interpret and critically assess philosophical texts and arguments; and
  4. Discuss the nature and value of philosophical reflection in light of our contemporary world.

Phil 1001 counts as an Arts & Humanities course for Barnard’s Foundations curriculum.

Required & Suggested Texts

I will make all required readings available digitally. If there are any barriers (technical, etc.) that make it difficult for you to access them, please don’t be afraid to let me know.

Among these texts, there are a few that we’ll be using extensively; you might want to acquire physical copies if you enjoy reading on paper and/or are interested in building your philosophy bookshelf. But this is not a requirement.

  • Jon McGinnis and David C. Reisman, eds., Classical Arabic Philosophy: An Anthology of Sources (Indianapolis, IN: Hackett, 2007). Paperback, 978-0872208711, $30.00.
  • Diane J. Rayor and André Lardinois, eds., Sappho: A New Translation of the Complete Works, 2nd ed. (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2023). Paperback, 978-1108926973, $18.00.
  • Plato, The Trial and Death of Socrates, trans. G. M. A. Grube, 3rd ed. (Indianapolis, IN: Hackett, 2001). Paperback, 978-0872205543, $8.50.
  • Philip J. Ivanhoe and Bryan W. Van Norden, eds., Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy, 3rd ed. (Indianapolis, IN: Hackett, 2023). Paperback, 978-1647921088, $36.00.
  • Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism Is a Humanism, trans. Carol Macomber (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2007). Paperback, 978-0300115468, $11.95.
  • Audre Lorde, Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches (Trumansburg, NY: Crossing, 1984). Paperback, 978-1580911863, $17.99.

I have asked Book Culture to order all six as recommended texts. You can usually find excellent bargains from used bookstores too (e.g., try searching on BookFinder). Bookshop is another place to shop independent bookstores, although they don’t always have academic titles in stock.

Barnard statement on affordable access to course texts and materials

All students deserve to be able to study and make use of course texts and materials regardless of cost. Barnard librarians have partnered with students, faculty, and staff to find ways to increase student access to textbooks. By the first day of advance registration for each term, faculty will have provided information about required texts for each course on CourseWorks (including ISBN or author, title, publisher, copyright date, and price), which can be viewed by students. A number of cost-free or low-cost methods for accessing some types of courses texts are detailed on the Barnard Library Textbook Affordability guide. Undergraduate students who identify as first-generation and/or low-income students may check out items from the FLI lending libraries in the Barnard Library and in Butler Library for an entire semester. Students may also consult with their professors, the Dean of Studies, and the Financial Aid Office about additional affordable alternatives for having access to course texts. Visit the guide and talk to your professors and your librarian for more details.

Assessment

Final course grades will be awarded on the following basis:

All course requirements must be completed in order to pass this class. An F received on any work due to academic misconduct is grounds for an F in the course.

Participation

In approaching a philosophical issue, we will often find ourselves in the middle of a long conversation among many different authors. A hallmark of what we do in philosophy is the way we participate in this conversation and position ourselves in relation to these authors: we are not outside observers just here to absorb what each author has said and perhaps to summarize some of the points of agreement and disagreement; rather, we are equal parties to the conversation, just like every other philosopher. It’s helpful, then, to think of philosophy classes not as where you come to be lectured about particular philosophical views but as where we gather to do philosophy together, to contribute our own insights to ongoing philosophical conversations, and to think through these difficult issues for ourselves.

Participation in philosophy courses also serves a wide range of pedagogical purposes: class discussions help students make sense of difficult ideas and arguments in the texts; they help students learn to explain and apply concepts, analyze and assess arguments, and formulate and respond to worries and objections; in addition, they contribute to other students’ learning experience by helping to build a vibrant, mutually supportive classroom environment that encourages questions, exchange of ideas, and philosophical reflection.

You are expected to regularly contribute to class discussions and participate in class activities. To do so, you are expected to have read the assigned texts carefully and critically in advance of class (remember to bring a copy with you as we will often look at difficult passages together!).

It’s useful to keep in mind that philosophical writing is, at bottom, argumentative—that is, its goal is to defend or criticize a particular view. As you do the readings, be sure to:

  • Keep track of what the author says they mean by a particular term or distinction, and take note of terms and distinctions that don’t quite make sense to you.
  • Identify the view the author is defending and the argument they are offering in support of their view (be careful to distinguish passages where the author is speaking for themself and where they are explaining another author’s view or considering objections!), and write down thoughts and questions in the margin as you react to each step in the argument.
  • Ask yourself if you think what the author is saying is not only plausible but well-argued. If not, think about why not: Is it because the author’s argument relies on a false premise, or is it because the author’s reasoning is fallacious? Is there a more plausible or more arguable way of formulating the point the author hopes to make? Are there countervailing considerations, alternative positions, or further complications that the author fails to take into account? Even if you agree with the author, try to anticipate objections that other readers may reasonably raise and think about how you can respond to them on the author’s behalf.

For this class, I will use in-class activities (which will be graded for completion) to establish a baseline participation grade, and then move up or down taking into account preparation, engagement, contribution, and respect for others. Class participation will make up 15% of your final grade.

Course lexicon

Throughout this semester, please keep a running lexicon of the technical terms that we encounter in both our readings and our class discussions. Feel free to just jot these down in your notes as you go, though the versions you turn in should be typed and cleaned up, and they should include not only a list of terms but their definitions/explanations (verbal or visual)—think dictionary entries.

I will ask everybody to turn in a midterm version of their lexicon, which you may consult during the midterm exam. This is merely a progress check and will not be graded; however, failure to turn one in on time will be penalized by up to a full letter grade (10%) on the final version.

The final version of your lexicon should be comprehensive and will make up 15% of your final grade.

Exams

There will be a midterm and a final exam. Study guides, including possible essay prompts, will be distributed in advance. The final exam is not comprehensive, and will be of the same format as the midterm.

The better of your two exams will account for 25% of your final grade, and the other one 20%.

Final project

You are required to complete a final project for this course. This can be either a traditional term paper or an equally substantial creative project of your choosing—for example, you might want to make a zine, create educational materials on an issue, write a play, design a game, draft a short story or a piece of public writing, script and produce a video essay, record a mini-album, publish a podcast episode, curate an exhibit, build a website or an application, reenact a story or a moment, imagine an alternative history, illustrate an argument or debate, or profile a community member (really, the sky’s the limit!). My hope is that the flexibility of the format will allow you to further engage with our course materials in a way that suits and reflects your own interests.

While I will provide pre-made prompts, you are more than welcome to work with me to craft your own—if this is something you would like to do, please meet with me by Wednesday, November 19 to discuss your idea. If we can both see a workable final project, I will then ask you to write up a short project proposal to finalize it. You are not required to get my permission or submit a proposal if you decide to pursue one of the pre-circulated prompts. Either way, the final project is due by 11:59pm on Wednesday, December 17.

The final project will make up 25% of your final grade.

Schedule

Course Policies