Learn Online: History of Philosophy

• Why spend $400 or more on a college course, when you could study Philosophy at UC for a tiny fraction of that cost? This course provides a clear presentation & summary of the main figures and concepts in the History of Western Philosophy. Whether you are a person studying for general interest, or a student taking a class on Philosophy, this course was designed for you -- to enrich your understanding of Philosophy, and to help make the learning experience enjoyable for all participants.
• You will have many opportunities to develop your ideas and your writing skills, too, as you  choose, whether you're planning to take Philosophy in college, or develop your ideas as an independent thinker.
• You will have the opportunity to write papers (optional) on the topics of your choice (you decide the length), and receive custom tutoring from your instructor. This level of individualized instruction --in both philosophy and writing -- is reflected in the price of the course...still,  extremely low when compared to private tutors. You may also participate in our optional Discussion Forums, and also avail yourself of On-line Chat.
• This course presupposes no knowledge of Philosophy, only a willingness to explore ideas. To help make the learning experience enjoyable to all, the basic material is presented in a series of easy-to-understand poems, written by the instructor. Each lesson  also has supplemental text, which complements the poem. Each lesson is designed to make the concepts as clear as possible.
• The course is based on a study guide that was written by the instructor, who has a long-term interest in continuing education, who has advanced degrees in Philosophy, and who taught the subject for 9 years in college.

1. All of the required course content is included in the Lessons. The content was written to be as clear as possible, so that it could be read and understand by a person with basic reading skills. The focus here is on ideas, and not on one's reading level. 'Jargon' is kept to an absolute minimum, and philosophical terms are clearly defined.
2. We will use our class discussions to go over terms and concepts. Thus, each student will have many opportunities to clarify their thoughts, to ask questions of the instructor and their classmates, and to express their own thoughts.
3. Each Lesson is followed by a short multiple choice quiz. In order to receive a certificate of completion, one must take each quiz, and pass with cumulative grade of 60%.
4. There is an Optional paper, which is graded on a Pass, Pass with Honors, or Fail basis. A grade of Pass, or Pass with Honors, will result in the student's percentage grade from the exams being raised 10%, as from 80% to 90%. A Pass with Honors paper will also qualify you for certificates of Outstanding Achievement, issued by UC.

LISTING OF PRINT BOOKS IN PHILOSOPHY

Here are some of my recommended print books on Philosophy.

There are Link pages from each title to Amazon.com, on my site, www.historyofphilosophy.org, which I invite you to visit.

The books are recommended for those who wish to read more, but are not required for this course.

1. A World of Ideas - A Dictionary of Important Theories, Concepts, Beliefs, and Thinkers, Chris Rohmann, Ballantine Books, 1999, 477pp. PB, This book is clearly written and well organized. It includes selections on all the major philosophers and schools of thought that we consider, as well as material from other fields of thought outside of Philosophy.

2. Oxford Illustrated History of Western Philosophy, ed. Anthony Kenny, selections were written by 7 scholars, including Kenny, Oxford University Press, first pub 1994, very clearly written and beautifully illustrated, 407 pp. PB.

3. Fifty Major Philosophers: A Reference Guide, Diane Collinson, Diane Collonson, Rutledge, 1987, 170 pp, Clearly written for a condensed guidebookon the subject.

4. Masterpieces of World Philosophy : Nearly 100 classics of the world' greatest philosophers analyzed and explained, Frank N. Magill, Editor, Harper Collins, 1990, HC, 684 pp. Condensed, and a good summary of individual philosophers.

5. Concise Encyclopedia of Western Philosophy and Philosophers, ed. J.O. Urmson and Jonathan Ree, 1989, PB, 330 pp. London, Unwin, Hyman. Concise and informative.

6. Dictionary of Philosophy, Dagobert D. Runes, editor, and 72 authorities, 1^st printing 1960, numerous reprints, 342 pp.. Nice, old classic, if you can find it used.

7. Basic Teachings of the Great Philosophers, S.E. Frost, Barnes and Noble Everyday Handbook, orig . 1942, numerous reprints, approx 315 pp.

8. History of Philosophy, Frederick Copleston, S.J. multi-volume series, numerous reprints, orig. pub1965. Excellent multivolume History of Philosophy. I referred to this series a lot when I was in grad school, and loved it.

9. Philosophy for Beginners, Richard Osborne, trade paperback illustrated in comic book format. They have published several dozen books in many areas, in the comic book format, including some on some individual philosophers, and schools of thought. Very readable, informative, and fun to read, Writers and Readers Publishing, 1992, 180 pp.

10. The Philosophers: Their Lives and the Nature of their Thought, Ben-Ami Scharfstein,Oxford University Press, 1980 1^st pub., PB, 486 pp. Informative, very readable and noteworthy for the amount of biographical material, which is incorporated in the philosophical account.

By the end of the course, each student will have acquired a basic understanding of the History of Philosophy, from the time of the classical Greeks through the present. We will seek to integrate the so-called "Great Questions" with each student's own personal philosophy quest. Thus, we will provide each student with an opportunity to write an Optional paper on how the course helped them to better understand a philosophical issue, that is of concern to them.

All of the course material will be presented in the Lessons.

A grade of 60% is passing; it is equivalent to a letter grade of D. Students will have an opportunity to retake each test, and rewrite each assignment, so as to achieve greater mastery of the material and to develop their writing skill. All grades are recorded and averaged in, with the pre-test and re-test for each quiz and assignment being given equal weight in the final course grade. The Optional paper will be graded as a Pass, Pass with Honors, or Fail. Fail will be used only in situations of demonstrable plagiarism. Even then, the student will be given a final chance to rewrite the paper.

All of concepts attributed to the philosophers have been researched by the Instructor, and are believed to be accurate statements of fact. The Instructor endeavors to clearly distinguish between his own thoughts, the ideas of the philosophers, and the thoughts of the students in the class. The instructor disclaims any use of material in the Lessons or Discussion to justify causing physical hurt to another person or other living beings.