Learning Modules
- Module One: Nature
- Module Two: Self and Society
- Module Three: Knowledge
- Module Four: Ethics
- Module Five: Political Philosophy
- Module Six: Immigration (special topic)
Weekly Schedule
Week 1: Introduction
Activities:
- Jan 31: Students receive welcome announcement with instructions to start the course. First class meeting at 9:30 AM
- Feb 2: Class meeting to begin reading together Emerson, Nature
Work due:
- Feb 6: Discussion board deadline to write personal introduction and reply to at least two mates.
Preparation for next week:
- Watch: The School of Life, Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Read: Emerson, Nature
- Read: Sagoyewatha, “Speeches” (pdf)
- Read: Equiano, “The Interesting Narrative” (pdf)
Week 2: Nature
Activities:
- Feb 7: Class meeting to discuss Emerson, Nature
- Feb 9: Class meeting to discuss “Speeches” and “The Interesting Narrative”
Work due:
- Feb 13: Discussion board deadline
Preparation for next week:
- Watch: Pursuit of Wonder, “The Art of Trusting One’s Self—The Philosophy of Emerson”
- Read: Emerson, “Self-Reliance”
Week 3: Self and Society
Activities:
- Feb 14: Reading day
- Feb 16: Class meeting to discuss Emerson, “Self-Reliance”
Preparation for next week:
- Watch: Studies Weekly, “Margaret Fuller: Author, Educator, and Feminist”
- Watch: Peter Reilly, “Margaret Fuller – Transatlantic Revolutionary”
- Read: Margaret Fuller, “The Great Lawsuit”
Week 4:
Activities:
- Feb 21: College closed
- Feb 23: Zoom class meeting to discuss Fuller, “The Great Lawsuit”
Work due:
- Feb 27: Discussion board deadline
Preparation for next week:
- Watch: Biography, “W.E.B. Du Bois: Activist”
- Watch: Biography, “W.E.B. Du Bois: Civil Rights Pioneer”
- Watch: Reading through History, “W.E.B. Du Bois”
- Read: W.E.B. Du Bois, “Of Our Spiritual Strivings”
Week 5:
Activities:
- Feb 28: Reading day
- Mar 2: Class meeting to discuss Du Bois, “Or Our Spiritual Strivings”
Work due:
- Mar 6: Short Essay 1
Preparation for next week:
- Watch: Elliot Gaines, “Charles Sanders Peirce: Semiotics and the Logic of Pragmatism”
- Read: Peirce, “The Fixation of Belief”
Week 6: Knowledge
Activities:
- Mar 7: Reading day
- Mar 9: Class meeting to discuss Peirce, “The Fixation of Belief”
Work due:
- Mar 13: Discussion board deadline
Preparation for next week:
- Watch: Let’s Talk Philosophy, “The Philosophy of William James”
- Watch: American Philosopher, “Who Founded Pragmatism?”
- Read: James, “What Pragmatism Means”
Week 7:
Activities:
- Mar 14: Reading day
- Mar 16: Class meeting to discuss James, “What Pragmatism Means”
Work due:
- Mar 20: Discussion board deadline
Preparation for next week:
- Read: James, “The Moral Philosopher and the Moral Life”
Week 8: Ethics
Activities:
- Mar 21: Reading day
- Mar 23: Class meeting to discuss James, “The Moral Philosopher and the Moral Life”
Work due:
- Mar 27: Discussion board deadline
Preparation for next week:
- Watch: Sacred Land Film Project, “Vine Deloria Jr on Spiritual Yearning in the West”
- Watch: Sacred Land Film Project, “Vine Deloria Jr on Our Relationship to the Unseen”
Week 9:
Activities:
- Mar 28: Reading day
- Mar 30: Class meeting to discuss Deloria Jr., “Sacred Places and Moral Responsibility”
Preparation for next week:
- Watch: Davison Films, “John Dewey’s Theories on Education and Learning”
- Watch: Sprouts, “John Dewey’s Four Principles of Education”
- Read: Dewey, “Education as Growth”
Week 10:
Activities:
- Apr 4: Reading day
- Apr 6: Zoom class meeting to discuss Dewey, “Education as Growth”
Work due:
- Apr 10: Discussion board post
Preparation for next week:
- Read: Hamilton, Madison, and Jay, “Federalist Papers” (pdf)
Week 11: Political Philosophy
Activities:
- Apr 11: Reading day
- Apr 13: Class meeting to discuss “Federalist Papers”
Preparation for next week:
- Watch: Biography, “Frederick Douglass”
- Watch: History, “Frederick Douglass”
- Read: Frederick Douglass, “Oration at Corinthian Hall, 1852” (pdf)
- Read: J. Wannuaucon Quinney, “Fourth of July Address, 1854” (pdf)
[Spring recess: Apr 15 – 22]
Week 12:
Activities:
- Apr 25: Reading day
- Apr 27: Class meeting to discuss Douglass, “Oration” and Quinney, “Address”
Work due:
- May 1: Essay 2
Preparation for next week:
- Watch: Harvard U, Reflections on Walden
- Watch: School of Life, Political Theory: Henry David Thoreau
- Read: Thoreau, “Civil Disobedience”
- Watch: Studies Weekly, “Jane Addams”
- Read: Addams, “Respect for Law” (pdf)
Week 13:
Activities:
- May 2: Reading day
- May 4: Class meeting to discuss Thoreau, “Civil Disobedience” and Addams, “Respect for Law”
Work due:
- May 8: Discussion board deadline
Preparation for next week:
- Watch: NBC News Learn, “Jane Addams and the Hull House”
- Watch: NBC News Learn, “Jane Addams and Neighboring with the Poor”
- Read: Addams, “Newer Ideals of Peace” (pdf)
Week 14: Immigration
Activities:
- May 9: Reading day
- May 11: Class meeting to discuss Addams, “Newer Ideals of Peace” (pdf)
Preparation for next week:
Week 15:
Activities:
- May 16: Class meeting to discuss Orosco, “The Pluralist Foundations of US American Democracy”
Work due:
- May 18: Discussion board deadline
Preparation for finals week:
- Work on essay 3
Finals week: Concluding your work
Activities:
- Professor Campos available for individual meetings with prior scheduling if you need help with your final assignment.
Work due:
- May 23: Essay 3
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