1. Learn how to argue convincingly, deeply, responsibly and productively with others about philosophical questions — questions about ethics, belief formation, religious beliefs and practices, and questions about what makes human lives flourish.
2. Practice making decisions in light of your own, reasoned-out vision of the good, rather than relying only on externally imposed standards.
3. Contribute to building a dialogue group community characterized by mutual encouragement, commitment to truth, fun, creativity, and where every member believes that the others are helping them develop their vision of the good life.
4. Grow in five intellectual virtues: curiosity, taking responsibility, intellectual courage, humility, and empathetic reasoning.
Learning Objectives:
You will develop (and be evaluated on) four specific skills related to the course vision:
Closely reading philosophical texts and analyzing their key arguments. By the end of this course, you should be able to identify and comprehend the main principles and arguments in major philosophical texts. You should be able to reflect on how the philosopher is attempting to persuade their reader and the virtues and/or vices of their methods. And you should be able to compare these arguments to those of other philosophers, arguments you come across in everyday life, and your own philosophical positions.
Closely reading major news sources and analyzing their key arguments. By the end of this course, you should be able to recognize and break down philosophical arguments from the news and other public venues. You should be able to identify important philosophical assumptions in these arguments, determine what evidence would be relevant to the truth of these assumptions, and be able to identify missing assumptions needed to make the arguments logically convincing. You should be able to reflect on how the writer is attempting to persuade their reader and the virtues and/or vices of their methods.
Contributing to a sustained interpersonal dialogue. By the end of this course, you should be able to ask strong questions designed to learn about another person’s philosophical perspective. You should be able to actively listen and incorporate personal evidence into your philosophical insights. You should be able to sincerely articulate your views and responsibly identify and address philosophical differences with others.
Writing a persuasive philosophical apology in which you explain and defend your core beliefs. By the end of this course, you should have completed a significant, multi-section essay that draws on interesting personal narratives, original philosophical arguments, and textual commentary to defend a coherent philosophical stance on the good life. You will be responding to the four big questions, which the course is organized around (see Home). You should also be able to anticipate and respond appropriately to objections to your core assumptions. You should be willing to consider revising your beliefs if given sufficient counter-evidence or counter-arguments. And you should be able to draft this essay, revise it in response to coaching and edit smaller sections into a well-organized long-form essay.
Required Books:
1. Anthony Weston, A Rulebook for Arguments, 5th edition (Hackett Publishing, 2017).
2. Nathan L. King, The Excellent Mind (Oxford University Press, 2021).
3. Helen De Cruz, Religious Disagreement (Cambridge University Press, 2019).
3. Reflect and Connect assignment (practice for part 1 of the Apology). Sign-up here for small group feedback on Reflect and Connect assignment.
4. The Apology assignment (a four-part essay, written over the course of the semester, that answers the four big questions). Sign-Up here for small group feedback on Part 1.
6. Active Participation in class, response to texts posted on Perusall, and in the Sustained Peer-Led Dialogue Groups (for Directions for Readings posted on Perusall, look here)
Grade Evaluation:
Students’ final grade will be a function of:
10% Stronger Questions and Stronger Reasons (#1 and #2; 5% each)
10% Reflect and Connect assignment
23% Active and Sustained Participation in class and in Perusall (via Moodle)
12% Active and Sustained Participation in the Peer-Led Dialogue Groups
30% Apology
15% Map to the Good Life (creative project)
Attendance Policy:
Students should attend all classes, unless otherwise excused because of a University related activity (e.g., sporting event) or a medical emergency or inclement weather (see below). Each student is responsible for letting the Professor know that he or she will miss a class because of a University related activity at least one week prior to the absence. In the case of a medical emergency, a doctor’s note will excuse the absence. Missing classes will adversely affect a student’s understanding of the material, which is why students should attend class meetings. Students have “3” freebie unexcused absences (= 1 week of class). After that, there is a 2% penalty for each class that is missed.
Office Hours
All students are warmly invited and encouraged to meet with Prof. Williams during Office Hours. This is a time to ask questions about the class and assignments. This is a great opportunity for students to get more connected with the class and the Professor. Office Hours are on Wednesdays, 1:30pm-2:30pm, and Thursdays, 10:00am-12:00pm, and by appointment. Make an appointment by clicking here. You may meet with Prof. Williams in-person in his office (WHI 237) or virtually (via Zoom). If we meet in-person, all must wear a mask (no matter vaccination status). If you wish to meet via Zoom, you must email Prof. Williams to get the Zoom link. If a student prefers, we can have our in-person meeting outside at the high-top tables just behind Whitesides Hall.
Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism Policy:
Anyone found guilty of academic dishonesty in this course will either fail the plagiarized assignment or fail the course, depending on severity of the dishonesty. If I have reason to think you are guilty of academic dishonesty, I will ask you to come to my office (or to some neutral corner) and will confront you with the evidence. Academic dishonesty includes presenting, as your own, work that is not in fact your own, whether you take it from another student, from a library book, from a website, or wherever you find it. (It also includes knowingly allowing your own work to be misrepresented in this way as some other student’s work.) Cunningly rewording someone else’s work, in order to disguise what you are doing, does not make any difference: it is still academic dishonesty if the thoughts behind it are not your own. When in doubt, always cite your sources! It is infinitely better to produce something totally unoriginal and say so outright than it is to turn in the very same thing and pretend it’s your own. The former will probably earn you a mediocre grade on that piece of work; the latter will earn you an F in the course. Anyone even slightly unclear about the nature of plagiarism should visit this website: http://library.unca.edu/lr/plagiarism.html
Technology Policy:
Do not expect to send or read text messages during class. Do not engage in any social media during class times. This not only distracts you, it will also distract the Professor and other students. I require that you take handwritten notes during class meetings – using your Good Life Journal, some or all of which you may want to type up later. Have a writing implement and paper with you during class so that you can take notes. It may be a little old-fashioned, but this is the best way to protect the integrity of the classroom and to help you to engage thoughtfully about the issues we will be discussing.
Accommodations for Disabled Students:
UNC Asheville values the diversity of our student body as a strength and a critical component of our dynamic community. Students with disabilities or temporary injuries/conditions may require accommodations due to barriers in the structure of facilities, course design, technology used for curricular purposes, or other campus resources.
Students who experience a barrier to full access to this class should let the professor know, and/or make an appointment to meet with the Office of Academic Accessibility as soon as possible. To make an appointment, call 828.232.5050; email academicaccess@unca.edu; use this link https://uncaoaaintake.youcanbook.me/; or drop by the Academic Accessibility Office, room 005 in the One Stop suite (lower level of Ramsey Library). Learn more about the process of registering, and the services available through the Office of Academic Accessibility here: https://oaa.unca.edu/While students may disclose disability at any point in the semester, students who receive Letters of Accommodation are strongly encouraged to request, obtain and present these to their professors as early in the semester as possible so that accommodations can be made in a timely manner. It is the student’s responsibility to follow this process each semester.
Writing Center:
The University Writing Center (UWC) supports writers in one-on-one sessions with student writing consultants. Consultants can help writers decipher a prompt, organize ideas, document sources, and revise prose. For your consultation with the UWC, have a copy of your assignment, any writing or notes you may have, and the sources you are working with. To make your appointment, simply visit writingcenter.unca.edu and click on “Schedule an Appointment.”
Academic Indicators:
Faculty at UNC Asheville are encouraged to use the university’s Academic Indicators (AI) system. The purpose of this system is to communicate with students about their progress in courses. Academic Indicators can reflect that a student’s performance is satisfactory at the time the alert is submitted or they can indicate concerns (e.g., academic difficulty, attendance problems, or other concerns). Professors use the AI system because they are invested in student success and want to encourage open conversations about how students can improve their performance. When a faculty member submits an alert that expresses a concern, the student receives an email from Academic Advising notifying them of the indicator and subsequent registration hold on their account. To clear the hold, the student must complete an online Response Form included in the indicator e-mail. The student’s responses will be shared with the instructor and advising staff. If a student receives three or more indicators, they will need to meet with an advisor by scheduling an appointment using the online appointment service at advising.unca.edu and select ‘Academic Indicator Appointment’ as the type of appointment. The professor may also request to meet with the student to discuss the indicator. It is in the student’s best interest to complete the indicator process quickly, as students who do so are more likely to earn credit for the course. Failure to complete the indicator process means the student won’t be able to register for the next semester’s classes until they have submitted the required form and completed any requested meeting requirements. Questions about the indicator system can be directed to Anne Marie Roberts (amrober1@unca.edu) in the Academic Success Center.
Title IX and (Sexual) Misconduct
All members of the University community are expected to engage in conduct that contributes to the culture of integrity and honor upon which the University of North Carolina at Asheville is grounded. Acts of sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking jeopardize the health and welfare of our campus community and the larger community as a whole and will not be tolerated. The University has established procedures for preventing and investigating allegations of sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking that are compliant with Title IX federal regulations. To learn more about these procedures or to report an incident of sexual misconduct, go to titleix.unca.edu. Students may also report incidents to an instructor, faculty or staff member, who are required by law to notify the Title IX Office.
