Philosophy+Concentration+Work+Unit+1

Q1 Units on Philosophy: Readings
Group 1: What is Philosophy? Group 2: Approaches to Philosophy Group3: Reason and the World Select which one you will master and make a graphic organizer for. You may work in pairs. Inform Mr. Woodruff which article you will work on. Teach your graphic organizer to the others and give Mr. Woodruff a copy. Memorize the information.

Philosophy Roundtable:
“The Future of Philosophy,” John Searle

Each student must read the entire article. Each student must master a problem area, and each area can be mastered by more than one person. Each problem area needs to be explained and discussed with references to latest developments.

The group can appoint a moderator (or two) who writes questions and leads discussion. The form of the roundtable is to be a fishbowl activity: you discuss (not debate) amongst yourselves, educating the non-philosophy students about the material. You need to reference and use the articles from the three groups of readings.

Q2 Paper on a Philosophy article Select an article and ask for approval from teacher: write up why you want to read that article, what you hope to gain from the knowledge, etc. Print the article and mark it up and take notes on it. Write a report on the article covering the following information: What is the question the author is addressing? What is the author’s answer to that question? What is the author’s purpose with the essay? What branches of philosophy does the article deal with. What is significant to you about the article? How can you use the information in your life? Prepare a 10 minute presentation on your article for the entire class.

Q3 Philosophy of the Text’s Time Period Q4 Philosophy Colloquium: class discussion

First Reading group: What is philosophy?
What Is Philosophy? By Curtis Brown

On the Uses of Philosophy by Will Durant

The Purpose of Philosophy by Isaiah Berlin

The Value of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell

Second Reading Group: Approaches to the Philosophy
1. Philosophy and Basic Beliefs by Richard Jewell

2a. The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House by Audre Lorde AND

2b. Poetry Is Not a Luxury by Audre Lorde

3. The Relativity of Wrong by Isaac Asimov

Third Reading Group: Reason and the World
The Will to Believe by William James

Political Extremism Is Supported by an Illusion of Understanding by Philip Fernbach, et al.

Prologue to Sic et Non (On Authority and Error) by Peter Abelard

Inductive and Deductive

Philosophy Roundtable:
The Future of Philosophy by John Searle