M, W 9:30-10:45 a.m.
Course Alignment
General Education Outcomes are the knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and behaviors that students are expected to develop as a result of their overall experiences with any aspect of the college, including courses, programs, and student services, both inside and outside of the classroom. The General Education Outcomes specifically learned in this course are:
- Critical Thinking
I. Philosophical Method and Argument
- What is philosophy?
- Argument structure and evaluation
- Intrinsic vs. instrumental goods
- Methods of close reading
II. Knowledge, Imagination, and Genius
- Kant: imagination and understanding
- Schopenhauer: reflectiveness and will
- Nietzsche: genius, culture, untimeliness
- Education and intellectual independence
III. Philosophy in Literature
- Byron’s Manfred: knowledge and despair
- Percy Shelley: evil, myth, symbolism
- Philosophy expressed through literary form
IV. Social Critique and Responsibility
- Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
- Social contract themes
- Education, exclusion, and moral recognition
- Science, responsibility, and society
V. Aesthetics and Moral Formation
- Imagination and knowledge
- Shelley’s Defense of Poetry
- Plato on poetry, music, and character
- Art and moral psychology
VI. Justice and the Good Life
- Plato’s Republic
- Justice as intrinsic and instrumental good
- Soul–city analogy
- Moral psychology and order
VII. Philosophy and Political Order
- Leadership and knowledge
- The ship-of-state metaphor
- Civic disorder and authority
Faculty Contact Information
T, Th 10:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Kenneth West
Course Information
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify and explicate the perennial issues of philosophy
- Identify significant figures—both historical and contemporary—and their various theories, positions, and/or arguments
- Assess the merit and strength of particular philosophical arguments.
- Define pertinent philosophical terminology, which will enable students to converse more fluently about enduring philosophical issues.
- Distinguish, compare and contrast competing philosophical positions.
Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, ed., Nick Groom (New York: Oxford, 2018).
Plato, Republic, trans. Christopher Rowe (New York: Penguin, 2012).
Examinations (50%): Three examinations will be given during the semester. Each exam will consist of short essay responses based on preparation questions distributed in advance. These questions are designed to guide your reading and studying and focus on careful interpretation of primary texts, major arguments, and key philosophical concepts discussed in class. Your responses should demonstrate clear understanding, accurate use of texts, and reasoned evaluation of philosophical positions. Exams are cumulative in skills (interpretation and argument) but focus primarily on the units covered since the previous test.
Discussion Lead (20%): Each student will serve as a Discussion Lead once during the semester. Discussion Leads will prepare a close reading of a selected philosophical passage and guide class discussion for approximately 15 minutes. This includes briefly presenting the passage’s context, clarifying key terms and arguments, and raising focused interpretive questions for the class. The goal is to promote careful textual analysis and shared inquiry rather than formal presentation. Students should be prepared to reference the text closely and encourage participation through thoughtful, text-based questions.
Journal Entries (20%): Students will complete ten journal entries over the sixteen-week semester. Each entry should be no more than 250 words. Journals are brief, informal philosophical reflections intended to promote consistent engagement with the readings and class discussion. Their purpose is exploratory rather than polished: you are encouraged to test ideas, raise questions, and work through difficulties in interpretation or argument.
Students are encouraged to use the posted exam preparation questions as prompts, but they may also write in response to class discussion, a specific passage, or a broader theme from the readings. Effective entries should show thoughtful interaction with the texts—such as explaining a key claim, analyzing an argument, comparing positions, or posing a focused objection or question. When possible, refer directly to the text (by concept, passage, or brief quotation).
Journal entries will be evaluated primarily on completion, clarity, and evidence of genuine intellectual engagement rather than formal writing style.
Liberal Arts & Sciences
Dean, Jennifer Huggins; 815-802-8484; R310; jhuggins@kcc.edu; Division Office- W102; 815-802-8700
1. Late work need not be accepted for submission.
2. Make up examinations will be deducted 15 points.
3. Sleeping is unacceptable behavior in a college classroom. Don't do it. If you fall asleep, I'll ask you to
leave. If you're tired, stay home.
4. Class citizenship involves more than simply showing up for class. It also means participating actively in
discussions, asking questions, preparing for class, and respectfully engaging with others in creating a
healthy learning environment.
5. Unless otherwise stated, the use of laptops, smart phones, and watches is not permitted during class
sessions or examinations.
| Reading | Class | |
| Week 1 | Kant, Critique of Judgment, §§ 43-50 | Lecture and discussion: The Powers of the Mind: Imagination, Understanding, Judgment Attunement of the Powers of the Mind The Nature of Genius: “The Guiding Spirit that Each Person is Given as his Own at Birth” Journal Entry Due |
| Week 2 | Arther Schopenhauer, The World as Will and Representation, Vol. II, Ch. XXXI | Lecture and discussion: Schopenhauer’s Concept of Will and Intellect The Will, Genius, and Intellect Journal Entry Due |
| Week 3 | Arther Schopenhauer, “On university philosophy” | Lecture and discussion: The Problem of Existence The Nature of Philosophy Schopenhauer’s Aristocracy of Nature Journal Entry Due |
| Week 4 | Friedrich Nietzsche, “Schopenhauer as Educator” | Lecture and discussion: Freedom, Autonomy, and Self-knowledge: Nietzsche Addresses the Young Human vs. Animal Nature Nietzsche’s Educating Ideals (in the Platonic sense) Journal Entry Due |
| Week 5 | Friedrich Nietzsche, “Schopenhauer as Educator” | Lecture and discussion: Freedom, Autonomy, and Self-knowledge Self-knowledge and Friendship Examination 1 |
| Week 6 | Friedrich Nietzsche, Human, All Too Human, 1:109 and Lord Byron, Manfred | Lecture and discussion: Sorrow is Knowledge The Problem of Evil: Adam and Eve in the Philosophical Tradition Journal Entry Due |
| Week 7 | Percy Shelley, “On the Devil and Devils” | Lecture and discussion: The Problem of Evil Journal Entry Due |
| Week 8 | Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, Vol. I | Lecture and discussion: Plato’s Protagoras: Promethean Forethought The Myth of Prometheus Journal Entry Due |
| Week 9 | Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, Vol. II | Lecture and discussion: Hobbes, Rousseau and the Social Contract Tradition The Creature’s “Invisible Hand” Frankenstein as Political Economy Journal Entry Due |
| Week 10 | Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, Vol. III | Lecture and discussion: The Education of Safie (and, the Creature): Happiness, Goodness, Wisdom, Justice Music in Shelley and Plato The Philosophical Structure of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Examination 2 |
| Week 11 | Plato, Republic, Books I-II | Lecture and discussion: Why Sex in the Opening of Plato’s Republic? What is Justice? The Ring of Gyges and the City-Soul Analogy Journal Entry Due |
| Week 12 | Plato, Republic, Books III-IV | Lecture and discussion: Music and the Education of Plato’s Guardian Class The Tripartite Soul Justice as Harmony in the Soul Journal Entry Due |
| Week 13 | Plato, Republic, Books V-VI | Lecture and discussion: The Nature of the Family The Seafaring Metaphor in Plato’s Republic (The Mutiny Within) Journal Entry Due |
| Week 14 | Plato, Republic, Books VII-VIII | Lecture and discussion: Plato on Education Plato’s Allegory of the Cave Journal Entry Due |
| Week 15 | Plato, Republic, Books IX-X | Lecture and discussion: The City-Soul Analogy Revisited Music and Poetry in Plato’s Republic Journal Entry Due |
| Week 16 | Percy Shelley, “A Defense of Poetry” | Lecture and discussion: Reason and Imagination: The Two Engines of the Mind Answering Plato’s Challenge to Poetry Poetry and Politics in Percy Shelley: “The Unacknowledged Legislators of the World” Examination 3 |
College Policies, Resources and Supports
For information related to the Student Code of Conduct Policy, Withdrawal Policy, Email Policy, and Non- Attendance/Non-Participation Policy, please review the college’s Code of Campus Affairs and Regulations webpage, which can be found at catalog.kcc.edu under the Academic Regulations & Conduct Guide.
KCC offers various academic and personal resources for all students. Many services are offered virtually, as well as in person. Please visit Student Resources - Kankakee Community College to access student resources services such as:
- Clubs and organizations
- Counseling and referral services
- Office of disability services
- Student complaint policy
- Transfer services
- Tutoring services, etc.
The materials on this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course. Further information regarding KCC's copyright policy is available at https://kcc.libguides.com/copyright.
|Course syllabus/calendar is subject to change.