PHILOSOPHY OF ACTION 
(Senior Capstone Seminar)

Philosophy 736-685-001

University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee Fall 2007
Instructor: Luca FERRERO
Schedule : Th 2:30-5:10pm
Office: Curtin Hall 627
Lecture Room: CRT 607
tel. (414) 229-5903/4719
Office hour: Th 12noon-1pm

email:

and by appointment
homepage: http://www.uwm.edu/~ferrero

REQUIRED TEXTS

1. Frankfurt, H. The Importance of What We Care About (IWWCA) -- available at UWM-Bookstore
2. All other readings are available on d2l.uwm.edu

If you are trying to access the readings from on off-campus computer, you might have to go through this page first   www.uwm.edu/Libraries/ris/ezproxy.html

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ON LINE RESOURCES
Make sure to check http://www.uwm.edu/~ferrero/phil-links-ferrero.htm for
Study Aid and On-line Resources in Philosophy

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SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND READINGS

Changes to this syllabus, if any, will be announced on d2l.uwm.edu
I do not guarantee the updating of this version. If in doubt, consult d2l.uwm.edu

Date
Lecture
Topic
Readings
Assignments
09/06 I Introduction  
09/13 II Frankfurt I Frankfurt, H. “Freedom of the Will and the Concept of a Person,” IWWCA, pp.11-25
Frankfurt, H. “Three Concepts of Free Action,” IWWCA, pp.47-57
Frankfurt, H. “Identification and Externality,” IWWCA, pp.58-68		 Outline of one of the readings of your choice
09/20 III Frankfurt II Frankfurt, H. “The Problem of Action,” IWWCA, pp.69-79
Frankfurt, H. “Identification and Wholeheartedness,” IWWCA, pp.159-176
Frankfurt, H. “The Faintest Passion,” Necessity Volition Love, pp.95-107
Discussion of one of the readings of your choice  
09/27 IV Velleman Velleman, D. Introduction to The Possibility of Practical Reason
Velleman, D. “What Happens When Someone Acts?” 		Outline or Discussion
10/04 V
Korsgaard
 Korsgaard, C. Self-Constitution: Action, Identity and Integrity, Locke Lectures 2002 (selections TBA) Outline or Discussion
10/11 VI Bratman Bratman, M. "Reflection, Planning, and Temporally Extended Agency"
Bratman, M. "Two Problems about Human Agency"		 Outline or Discussion
10/18 VII Hierarcy - Transparency Watson, G. "Free Agency"
Bratman, M. "Planning Agency, Autonomous Agency" R
Watson, M. TBA
Bratman, M. "Three Theories of Self-Governance" *
 		Outline or Discussion
10/25 VIII Constitutivism I Railton P. "Hypothetical.." Facts, Values and Norms, Ch. 10 pp. 293-321
Velleman, D. "The Possibility of Practical Reason" Ethics
Outline or Discussion
11/01 XIX Constitutivism II Lavin "Practical Reason and the Possibility of Error" Ethics
 Outline or Discussion
11/08 X Constitutivism III Enoch "Agency, Smagency..."
 Outline or Discussion
Topics for Final Paper to be Approved
11/15 XI Discussion --- No Assignments ---
11/22 -----

Happy Thanksgiving
11/29 XII Writing Workshop
First Draft of the Paper Due in Class
12/06 XIII Writing Workshop
Peer-Comments Due in Class
              12/14 Friday                                                                                                  FINAL PAPER DUE
 

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ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING POLICY

one or two presentations on one of the assigned readings
     Each presentation must be accompanied by a 3-page outline to be distributed to the participants

10% (total)

7 two-page (450-600 words no less, no more) outlines or discussion note of the assigned readings

                A discussion note consists in a criticism or defense of one of the central thesis or arguments in the reading

  • Outlines/Discussions are due on the day when the reading is assigned
    An Outline is due on the second meeting
    A Discussion is due on the third meeting
    From the fourth meeting on, you decide whether you turn in an Outline or a Discussion

  • One Outline/Discussion is due every week until the tenth meeting, but for the meeting when you present a reading (when you have to turn in a longer outline, see above)

  • you can skip one outline/discussion at a time of your choice once you have turned in the first two
 10% (total)
Participation in the seminar discussion

20%
Comments on peer-writing (see Writing Workshop) 10%

Final Research Paper (3000-3600 words // approximately 10-12 pages)

50%
 

click here to see the GRADING GUIDELINES

Please note that PLAGIARISM is a serious instance of Academic Misconduct

Plagiarism includes:

  1. Directly quoting the words of others without using quotation marks or indented format to identify them; or,
  2. Using sources of informati on (published or unpublished) without identifying them; or,
  3. Paraphrasing materials or ideas of others without identifying the sources.

UWM Policy concerning Plagiarism is available at http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/OSL/DOS/conduct.html 

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WRITING WORKSHOP

In this class, you are given the opportunity to benefit from the comments of your peers on the first draft of your papers. You must submit the first draft of the paper together with a detailed outline on the first day of the writing workshop. Two or three other students will be assigned to you as commentators. You will meet with them at the writing workshop and discuss with them how to improve your draft. You then have some more days to revise your draft before submitting the final version for grading (for the exact deadlines, see the schedule above). You will also be commenting on the work of two or three other students. You will receive their drafts on the day when your draft is due. You will turn in your written comments at the writing workshop.

Please note that the active participation in the writing workshop is REQUIRED in order to pass the class. Detailed instructions about the writing workshop will be distributed during the term and made available on my homepage at http://www.uwm.edu/~ferrero/writ ing-workshop.htm

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PANTHER LIST:  ( ) has been set up up for general announcements. Notice that, if you do not use your ePanther/alpha account regularly, it is your responsibility to make sure that your UWM mail is forwarded to your preferred email account (for instructions on UWM eP anther accounts go to http://www.uwm.edu/IMT/ePanther/).

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Academic Misconduct Policy: see http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/OSL/DOS/conduct.html

Drop/Audit Policy: Students will be allowed to drop the course up through the last day permitted by the Registrar. Likewi se, students may elect to audit the course up through the last day permitted by the Registrar

Grievance and Appeals Policy: The Department of Philosophy has procedures for handling student grievance and grade-appeals. Information is available in the Department office, 612 Curtin Hall

Special Assistance: If you need special assistance, please contact me the first day of class

For information on policies and procedures related to exams, incomplete grades, religious holidays, discriminatory conduct, student misconduct, grade appeals, and students with disabilities, see http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/SecU/SyllabusLinks.pdf

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