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Syllabus

UNE Summer Session

PHI 278: Ethics – Wisdom literatures – 6 weeks

Credits - 3

Description

What advice do the great creative traditions of human history have to share with us about how to live? We all must make our way in a world that is not ours fully to command, and whatever path we choose we will come by grief and love, and meet triumphs and setbacks, all while aiming to more fully understand ourselves, and the possibilities of being human.

In this course we will explore the great wisdom literatures from two perspectives to better answer the question of how to live. We will examine a series of creative works both as wisdom traditions, with distinctive advice about how to live, while also analyze those works as pieces of literature, exploring how precisely they come to affect us. Each week we will read both a literary classic and an essay by the neuroscientist Angus Fletcher analyzing how the literary devices used in those works achieve their effects on us from the perspective of the cognitive sciences.

This course, then, will seek both the wisdom of the ages and an empirically grounded understanding of how mere advice becomes wisdom to live by.

Materials

All texts and readings will be available through the course Brightspace page, so there are no books to buy. In addition to the wisdom literatures we’ll read, which are all in the public domain, our primary text will be Angus Fletcher’s Wonderworks (2021). I’ll post PDFs of the six chapters we’ll read from the book, but we won’t have time to get to twenty others, so while you don’t have to purchase the book, there is a great deal more to get from it if you do. Finally, two of the works we’ll examine are dramatic: Shakespeare’s play Hamlet and Akira Kirosawa’s film Rashōmon, so you will either have to rent these or borrow them from your local library. If you choose the later route – request them now so you’ll have them available when we need them in the 4th and 5th week of the course.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

PHI 278: Wisdom Literatures is a Human Traditions Course. After completing an EXP course, students will be able to: 

  1. Apply a range of relevant theoretical and /or explanatory perspectives using appropriate investigative and analytical methods to interpret and critically analyze source material.

The most important outcome of the course will be to take part in a dialogue about the nature of the human condition, and about what it is to be a thinker in the universe to which we belong; it is a conversation that is ongoing and which will continue after we gone. In doing so we will focus on becoming critical thinkers. Critical thinking is both constructive and skeptical: constructive in identifying the claims and beliefs that deserve our attention and credence, while using measured skepticism to continually test and seek out the limitations of our beliefs, arguments, and commitments.

Course Role: This is a Human Traditions course and, as such, is part of the core curriculum at the University of New England. Human Traditions courses introduce students to the broad range of human cultures from prehistory to the present, taking a thematic approach rather than a strictly chronological one. The framework reflects the university’s commitment, expressed in the second year theme of the core curriculum, to cultivate social and global awareness.  

Assignments

Students will be required to engage on an ongoing basis with the course Brightspace page and with the course discussion group. Students must stay up to date with readings and written work. This is a six week 3 credit course, there is really no time to fall behind given the pace of the course. Failure to complete the assigned reading and writing assignments each week will materially reduce one’s grade.

Discussion Group Posts: Twice weekly, by Wed. and Sunday

Mid-term Essay: Due at the end of Week 3

Final Essay: Due at the end of Week 6

Grading Policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Discussions40%
Midterm Essay30%
Final Essay30%
Total:100%

Grade Scale

Grade Points Grade Point Average (GPA)
A 94 – 100% 4.00
A- 90 – 93% 3.75
B+ 87 – 89% 3.50
B 84 – 86% 3.00
B- 80 – 83% 2.75
C+ 77 – 79% 2.50
C 74 – 76% 2.00
C- 70 – 73% 1.75
D 64 – 69% 1.00
F 00 – 63% 0.00

Schedule

Course Schedule

Week 1: Monday, May 19 – Sunday, May 25

Topic: Wisdom Literature & Neuroscience

Reading Assignment:

  1. Wonderworks – Preface
  2. Wonderworks – Introduction

Discussion Assignment:

  1. Introduction Post: One post introducing yourself by Wednesday, May 21
  2. Discussion Response: One post responding to the discussion questions by Sunday, May 25

Week 2: Monday, May 26 – Sunday, June 1

Topic: Socrates, Irony, and Self-understanding

Reading Assignment:

  1. Wonderworks – Chapter 4, “Float Above Hurt” (on Plato’s Meno)
  2. Plato’s Euthyphro

Discussion Assignment:

  1. One post on Wonderworks Chapter 4 by Wednesday, May 28
  2. One post on Plato’s Euthyphro by Sunday, June 1

Week 3: Monday, June 2 – Sunday, June 8

Topic: Love and Heartbreak

Reading Assignment:

  1. Wonderworks – Chapter 11, “Ward Off Heartbreak” (on Jane Austen)
  2. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

Discussion Assignment:

  1. One post on Wonderworks Chapter 11 by Wednesday, June 4

Short Essay Assignment (1,000 words):

  • A short essay on Wonderworks Chapter 11 and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, due by Sunday, June 8

Week 4: Monday, June 9 – Sunday, June 15

Topic: Anger and the Problem of Evil

Reading Assignment:

  1. Wonderworks – Chapter 3, “Exit Anger” (on the Book of Job)
  2. The Book of Job

Discussion Assignment:

  1. One post on Wonderworks Chapter 3 by Wednesday, June 11
  2. One post on The Book of Job by Sunday, June 15

Week 5: Monday, June 16 – Sunday, June 22

Topic: Grief and Loss

Reading Assignment:

  1. Wonderworks – Chapter 8, “Heal From Grief” (on Shakespeare’s Hamlet)
  2. Read or watch Hamlet (recommended: BBC David Tennant production or 1996 Kenneth Branagh production)

Discussion Assignment:

  1. One post on Wonderworks Chapter 8 by Wednesday, June 18
  2. One post on Hamlet by Sunday, June 22

Week 6: Monday, June 23 – Friday, June 27

Topic: Reconsidering Our Beliefs

Reading Assignment:

  1. Wonderworks – Chapter 16, “Clear Your Head” (on Rashōmon)
  2. Rent and watch Akira Kurosawa’s Rashōmon

Discussion Assignment:

  1. One post on Wonderworks Chapter 16 and the film by Wednesday, June 25

Final Essay Assignment (1,500 words):

  • A final essay on the idea that literature is a technology which “re-engineers” our mind.
  • Due by Friday, June 27

Student Resources

Online Student Support

Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies. Questions? Email: prehealth@une.edu.

Online Peer Support

Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.

Instructor and Support Contact Information

Check Brightspace for specific instructor and support specialist contact information.

UNE Libraries

Further Assistance

Your student service advisor monitors course progression and provides assistance or guidance when needed. They can assist questions regarding ordering course materials, University policies, billing, navigating the course in Brightspace, and more.

// CPS resources

Summer Session Online Student Support

Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.

Questions? Email: summersessiononline@une.edu.

Instructor and Support Contact Information

Check Brightspace for specific instructor and support specialist contact information.

UNE Libraries

Further Assistance

Your student support specialist monitors course progression and provides assistance or guidance when needed. They can assist questions regarding ordering course materials, University policies, billing, navigating the course in Brightspace, and more.

To request an accommodation a student needs to go through the process with our UNE office. If the student has a current/already established accommodation in place with UNE it is the responsibility of the student to notify the program at summersessiononline@une.edu to ensure it is applied properly.

If you need to inquire about a possible accommodation, please reach out to the Student Access Center by calling 207-221-4418 or send an email to pcstudentaccess@une.edu.

Policies

Late Assignments & Preparation:

It’s important to hand in assignments on time.  I will only grant an extension if I am contacted prior to the day the assignment is due.  Late assignments will be penalized 1/3rd of a letter grade for each day they are late.

Misuse of technology:

Technology is reshaping teaching and writing. Chat GPT, Bard, Gemini, Grammarly Premium, paraphrasers, and other generative AI programs are tools that can substitute for authentic thought. While I believe these tools can and will play a meaningful role in the future, in this course they are not acceptable tools either for (1) idea generation or (2) producing text to be submitted in (a) discussion boards or (b) the assigned essays. I will ask that students NOT use AI writing tools in any way. You should type every word in your essays and discussion posts. You should not cut and past, nor should you transcribe the text generated by a program.

There are no dispositive AI writing detectors.  AI detectors can sometimes generate false positives. Because of this, I will ask students to compose all of their written work in Google Docs, which keeps a version history, before saving it as a PDF and uploading it to Brightspace. Because writing is nonlinear, version histories reveal if a text has been produced by cut and paste, or by typing from another document –  as almost all composition involves revision and the movement of text. If I suspect that an assignment or portion of an assignment has been generated by an AI text generator like ChatGPT, I will ask that the student share the version history with me. If the version history and/or detector indicate AI authorship, or the student cannot produce a version history, I will turn the case over to the Dean of Students as a violation of the codes of academic integrity.

AI is a powerful tool. It can and will play an important role in the future of work. But, because using it is like a 4th grader using a calculator on a multiplication test, using it to complete an assignment for which it was not authorized is serious academic misconduct.

There is a principled reason for this prohibition. Writing is a technology for thinking: it helps us learn critical thinking skills and how to clarify our thoughts. Without first learning these techniques on our own we cannot hope to judge the products of AI text generators.

Summer Session & Academic Engagement Policy

Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm EDT of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion by 11:59 pm EDT on Sunday of the first week, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the Student Summer Session Manual for full details.

Proctored Examinations

Your course may have proctored exams. Please see the course for the exact exam requirements, test-taker guidance, proctoring format, and allowances (such as calculators or whiteboards, as indicated in the course).

Information about exam attempts can be found in your course.

Technology Requirements

Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Programs: Technical Requirements.

Course Length

A schedule of lectures and assignments is included in this syllabus.

Courses in the program are equivalent to one-semester courses designed to be completed in 6 or 12 weeks.

  1. Enrollment in the course begins the day your section opens which is listed in the Academic Calendar.
  2. Course due dates, start and end dates are in respect to Eastern Time.

Withdrawal and Refund Policies

Please review the policies in your confirmation email. Contact summersessiononline@une.edu with any questions.

Grade Policy

Students are expected to attempt and complete all graded assignments and proctored exams by the end date of the course.

Transcripts

Due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, only the student may request official transcripts. This may be done online by going to the University of New England Registrar website and following the directions on the page.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

  1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
  2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
  3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
  4. Multiple submission of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
  5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.

Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the College. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.

Attendance Policy

Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the full attendance policy.

Assignments

Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted. Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded. Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.

Proctored Examinations

Your course may have proctored exams. Please see your course for full details, access, testing requirements, and guidelines.

Students must follow all proctoring requirements for their exams to be credited. Please contact your instructor for specific feedback.

Exam Attempts Policy

Students will receive two attempts at all proctored examinations. The higher score of the two attempts will be calculated into the final grade.

All students are encouraged to use a second attempt on their exams in order to improve their overall performance in the course.

Information about exam attempts can be found in your course.

Technology Requirements

Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Programs: Technical Requirements

Course Length

A schedule of lectures and assignments is included in this syllabus.

Courses in the program are equivalent to one-semester courses designed to be completed in 6 or 8 weeks.

  1. Enrollment in the course begins the day your section opens which is listed in the Academic Calendar found on the Student Success Portal.
  2. Course due dates, start and end dates are in respect to Eastern Time.

Withdrawal and Refund Policies

Please review the policies in your confirmation email. Contact PreHealth@une.edu with any questions.

Grade Policy

Students are expected to attempt and complete all graded assignments and proctored exams by the end date of the course. Contact support with any questions.

Transcripts

Due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, only the student may request official transcripts. This may be done online by going to the University of New England Registrar website and following the directions on the page.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

  1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
  2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
  3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
  4. Multiple submission of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
  5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.

Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.