Course Information

Foundations of Philosophy

PL201-18,19, | Spring, 2026

T/TH, 12:15pm-1:30pm (Section 19); T/TH, 3:05pm-4:20pm (Section 18)

Room: Knott Hall, 305; (section 19); College Center, W012 Lecture (Section 18)

Dr. Jeffrey C. Witt | jcwitt [at] loyola [dot] edu | ext. 2947

Philosophy Department 050M

Office Hours: T/TH 1:30-2:30, 4:30-5:00pm; W: 12:30-3:30pm (Please use "Bookings Calendar" to book appointments)

Course Description

A one semester introduction to philosophy. Three focal points are covered: the emergence and development of rational theories on the nature of reality (metaphysics); questions concerning the grounds for distinguishing between knowledge and opinion (epistemology); and the nature and status of values (ethical, aesthetic, religious, etc.). Special attention is paid to the origins of philosophy and its historical beginnings in the ancient world.

Course Learning Aims and Expected Outcomes

1) Aims: Exposure to and increased facility in comprehension of the foundational texts of philosophy. Outcomes: Be able to identify (chronologically) the major foundational philosophers and their distinctive positions in the core problem areas (epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics). Be able to compare and contrast the positions of philosophers studied.

2) Aims: Increase students' ability to recognize and appreciate the complexity of core philosophical problems. Develop a mind that can articulate that complexity to oneself and others. Outcomes: Be able to see a problem from diverse vantage points. Be able to articulate both the pros and cons of perennial philosophical issues discussed in class.

3) Aims: Help students to question the values they take for granted and to think through the nature of knowledge, existence, justice, happiness, and ultimately the life they want to live. Help students cultivate a taste for philosophical speculation, i.e. develop an appetite for "contemplation with friends" and a palate that can recognize the difference between this kind of enjoyment and alternatives. Outcomes: Be able to describe the consequences and impact of a given philosophical stance for one's own life and decisions: especially, the impact on what one values and how one conceives of the good life.

Course Readings

A Presocratics Reader: Selected Fragments and Testimonia (PR), ed. Patricia Curd (Indianapolis: 2011)

Aristotle, Selections (S), trans. Terence Irwin and Gail Fine (Indianapolis: 1995)

Plato, Five Dialogues (FD), trans. G. M. A. Grube (Indianapolis: 2002)

PL201 Course Packet (CP) (Please Print from Moodle)

Moodle (M)

Course Requirements

Participation (15%)

In-Class Participation (2.5%): Class involvement is a small part of your grade that typically makes a big difference. Class involvement means, first of all, coming to class. This also means always having your course packet or course reading with you. (Not having your course materials is like coming to soccer practice without your cleats or a ball.) Missing three or more classes will result in an automatic zero for your in-class participation grade. Missing more than 6 classes will be grounds for failing the course. Secondly, it means coming to class prepared, and preparation needs to bear fruit in the classroom. In other words, you need to strive to be an asset to the class. At times we will have opportunities for discussion; someone who is involved in class will be a thoughtful and engaged participant in that discussion. At other times, lectures will solicit your input and/or questions; an engaged student will bring up helpful and appropriate questions and be able to make a positive contribution when class input is called upon. (Using cell phones or laptops in class, unless as an approved DSS accommodation or otherwise directed by the instructor, will result in an automatic 0 for this portion of your grade. See "Computers and Cell Phones" policy below. Do yourself a favor and put your laptops and cell phones away and out sight for the duration of our class.)

Reading Quizzes/Responses (5%): Approximately once a week we will have reading quizzes and/or responses. These are low-stakes quizzes or in-class writing responses designed to motivate you too keep up with the reading and stay engaged with the course. There will be 8-12 of these quizzes throughout the semester. Because I know that everyone has busy weeks or has to miss a class, I will drop your lowest two quizzes. (Note: Quizzes cannot be made up, but that's why I drop your lowest two quizzes. If you have to miss a class in which a quiz was given, don't worry; that will just be one of your dropped quizzes.)

Participation Worksheets (7.5%): At various times (especially during our logic unit) you will be asked to turn in worksheets as homework before the assigned class.

Argument Analyses (15%)

Two times throughout the semester you will be asked, in class, to write an "argument analysis." This assignment is designed to help you develop the skill of tracing complicated arguments and communicating those arguments to others. Specific assignment instructions will be distributed in advance our first analysis.

Responses will be graded out of 100. A score of 90-100 indicates that the response exceeds expectations, a 80-89 meets expectations, and 79 or below does not meet expectations.

Exams (70%)

Mid-Term Exam 1 (20%): This exam will focus on the central problems of epistemology, basic logic, and common logical fallacies.

Mid-Term Exam 2 (20%): This exam will focus on the central problems of metaphysics. It will expect that you can articulate the basic metaphysical problems posed by the early pre-socratic thinkers and can generally explain how Plato and Aristotle responded to these problems.

Final Exam (30%): The longer, cumulative final exam will include short fact-based questions, quotation identification, argument analysis, and essay responses on core concepts and problems discussed during the course of the semester.

Final Grade Distribution

93% A, 90% A-, 88% B+, 83% B, 80 B-, 78% C+, 73% C, 70% C-, 68% D+, 60% D

Computer, Cell Phones, and Email Policy

I ask you not to use your computers or cell phones in this class, unless I invite you to use computers for a special task. (If there is a special reason that you need a computer, please contact DSS so they can approve the exception).

Email is useful for setting up appointments or informing me about emergencies, but about most other things, I prefer to meet with you face to face. This is what office hours are for. Do not be scared; I am nice! If my office hours conflict with your schedule, I will be glad to work with you to find a time that does fit.

Honor Code and Plagiarism

Students are expected to follow the university's honor code:

"The Honor Code states that all students of the Loyola Community have been equally entrusted by their peers to conduct themselves honestly on all academic assignments. The Students of this University understand that having collective and individual responsibility for the ethical welfare of their peers exemplifies a commitment to the community. Students who submit materials that are the products of their own minds demonstrate respect for themselves and the community in which they study. All outside resources or information should be clearly acknowledged. If there is any doubt or question regarding the use and documentation of outside sources for academic assignments, your instructor should be consulted. Any violations of the Honor Code will be handled by the Honor Council."

Statement on Generative-AI: This course focuses on skill building in the areas of close reading, argument analysis, and argument construction. As such (and as stated in the above honor code) it is expected that in this course your compositions are self-generated. While there are many legitimate reasons to use and value generative-AI tools, the goal of this class is to cultivate the very analytical skills that are needed to use AI tools well. Therefore outsourcing our class exercises, just as outsourcing drills in athletics, defeats the purpose. Thus, in this class, the above Honor Code includes the expectation that your submitted responses and compositions are always self-generated.

See the honor code for further information. https://www.loyola.edu/academics/honor-code.

Course Schedule

**This is a tentative schedule, subject to revision depending on our progress and extenuating circumstances**

Week 1

Tue Jan 13 - Introduction.

Thu Jan 15 - Plato, Apologia (FD), pp. 21-44.

I. Epistemology and Logic

Week 2

Tue Jan 20 - Frederick Douglass, What to a Slave is the Fourth of July (CP), pp. 4-17; Plato, Meno, (FD), pp. 58-69.

Thu Jan 22 - Plato, Meno, (FD), pp. 70-92; Aristotle, Posterior Analytics , (S), Book I, cc. 1-6, pp. 37-52; Book II, c. 19, pp. 66-68.

Week 3

Tue Jan 27 - Notes on Categorical Logic, "Introduction", "Categorical Propositions", and "Venn Diagrams of Categorical Propositions" (CP) pp. 18-21; Notes on Categorical Logic, "Categorical Syllogisms", "Venn Diagrams of Categorical Syllogisms" (CP) pp. 21-25 ; (Due: Categorical Proposition Worksheet) .

Thu Jan 29 - Notes on Categorical Logic, "Five Rules of Categorical Syllogisms and the Formal Fallacies" (CP: pp. 45-46); (Due: Categorical Syllogisms Worksheet) .

Week 4

Tue Feb 3 - Hardy, et al., "Informal Fallacies" (Moodle); Hurly, "Extended Arguments" (Moodle); (Due: Informal Fallacies Worksheet)

Thu Feb 5 - Descartes, Meditations, Meditation 1 (CP), pp. 26-28; (Due: Extended Argument Problems (Hurly, Problems, 3-9)) ,

Week 5

Tue Feb 10 - Descartes, Meditations, Meditation 2 and 3 (CP), pp. 28-40.

Thu Feb 12 - David Hume, Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, VII (On the Idea of a Necessary Connection), parts 1-2 (CP), pp. 41-48; Review Session.

Week 6

Tue Feb 17 - Mid-Term Exam I.

II. Metaphysics

Thu Feb 19 - Introduction, Pre-Socratics Reader (PR), pp. 1-7; Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes (PR), pp. 13-22; Heraclitus (PR), pp. 39-53..

Week 7

Tue Feb 24 - Parmenides (PR), pp. 55-65; Zeno (PR), pp. 66-72; Anaxagoras (PR), pp. 101-108; Atomists (PR), pp. 109-125; Skepticism and the Sophists (PR), pp. 144-161.

Thu Feb 26 - Plato, Phaedo (FD), 93-107.

Week 8

Tue March 10 - Plato, Phaedo (FD), 107-130; Plato, Phaedo (FD), 131-154; In-Class Argument Analysis 1.

Thu March 12 - No new reading

Week 9

Tue March 17 - Aristotle, Physics (S), Book I, pp. 83-95 and Book II cc. 1-3, pp. 95-105.

Thu March 19 - [Async Class] Aristotle, Metaphysics (S), Book I, pp. 221-240.

Week 10

Tue March 24 - Aristotle, Metaphysics (S), Book XII, pp. 332-344; Copleston, "Metaphysics of Aristotle," pp. 287-319 (Recommended, Moodle); Aquinas, "The Five Ways" (CP: pp. 49-50); Copleston and Russell, "A Debate on the Argument from Contingency", (CP), pp. 51-62.

Thu March 26 - "Personal Identity", Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (CP), pp. 63-77; Exam 2 Review Session

Week 11

Tue March 31 - Exam 2

III. Ethics

Week 12

Tue Apr 7 - Aristotle, N. Ethics (S), Book I, cc. 1-10, pp. 347-363; Aristotle, N. Ethics (S), Book I, c. 13, pp. 363-365 and Book II, cc. 1-7, pp. 366-376.

Thu April 9 - Aristotle, N. Ethics (S), Book III, cc. 1-5, pp. 376-388; Aristotle, N. Ethics (S), Book VI, pp. 398-410.

Week 13

Tue April 14 - Aristotle, N. Ethics (S), Book III c. 7, pp. 389-391; Irwin, "Homer" in Classical Thought, pp. 6-19 (Moodle); Aristotle, N. Ethics (S), Book VIII, cc. 1-3, 9, pp. 417-422 and Book IX, cc. 4, 7-9, 12, pp. 423-432; Aristotle, N. Ethics (S), Book X, cc. 4-5, pp. 433-438; In-Class Argument Analysis 2.

Thu April 16 - No new reading

Week 14

Tue April 21 - Wellman, "Famine Relief: The Duties We have to Others" (Moodle) and Cohen, "Famine Relief and Human Virtue" (Moodle).

Thu April 23 - Etzioni, "Limits of Privacy" (Moodle) and Friedman, "The Case for Privacy" (Moodle).

Final Exam - PL201-18 (3:05pm Class): Tues, May 5, 9:00am; PL201-19 (12:30pm Class): Thur, April 30, 1:00pm.