Course Overview

Posted: Wed, Jan 15, 2025

Today

  • Welcome! :-)
    • Introduce ourselves: who you are + one thing you want the class to know about you!
    • A philosophy class on love/gender/sex?
    • How to approach this class: preparation, participation, office hours, emergencies
    • Tour of course website, reading schedule, required books, assignments/exams
  • Bathroom break
  • Discuss the short article by Greta Christina
  • Questions? & Plans for next week

What’s different about a philosophy class on love/gender/sex?

The questions we will ask

  • are not just empirical but conceptual: “What is love?” -> how has love in fact been practiced vs. what does it mean to love?
  • are not just descriptive but normative: “What is love?” -> how has love in fact been practiced vs. what are good ways to love? how should we love?

In so doing, we will

  • work with primary rather than secondary sources;
  • focus on conceptual analysis, philosophical arguments, close reading, and charitable but critical interpretation; and
  • engage with our authors as equal participants in a long conversation.

Think of philosophy as an activity: for me, a philosophy classroom is not where students come to passively learn about different philosophies (though we will of course do a lot of learning!), but where we come to do philosophy together.

And what’s different about a philosophy class on love/gender/sex?

Ideas are powerful—don’t underestimate them!

  • We will think about these questions not just abstractly, but as they bear on the real world, with a view to their real consequences.
  • We will approach these questions by working from the margins to the center.

How to approach this class

Preparing Before Class

(1) Read the assigned texts carefully.

  • Keep track of definitions and distinctions (don’t take anything for granted!)—add these to your lexicon.
  • Distinguish a thesis and an argument for a thesis.
  • Distinguish where an author is speaking for themself vs. where they are describing someone else’s view (without endorsing it) or considering worries/objections
  • Annotate, and develop your own annotation system!

(2) Read the assigned texts critically.

  • Write down your thoughts/reactions in the margins as you process the reading: does this make sense? does this sound right? how do I feel? do I have questions?
  • Think about the reading as a whole: do you think what the author is saying is not only right but well-argued? if not, why not?

(3) Bring the readings to class!

Participation in Class

General class structure: brief introduction -> small group discussion -> whole class discussion -> what I want you to out of from the reading -> whole class discussion.

  • Don’t be afraid to ask right away if you have a question, if you are not sure what we are doing, if I use a word you don’t understand, etc.
  • There will be a handout posted the course website; take your own notes as well.
  • Lexicon: words are hard and I want to help.

Let’s take care of each other!

  • Some of the materials will be difficult for a lot of students, and I’m here if you need to talk.
  • You can disagree in a way that takes another person’s ideas seriously.
    • Philosophy is a whole lot of disagreements!
    • When I challenge you with follow-up questions, this doesn’t mean I’m upset with you!!
    • Sometimes people read my sense of humor as passive aggression—I apologize in advance.

Office Hours

  • No signups needed; lollipops provided.
  • Come to talk to me about the substance and the logistics of the course.
  • I would also genuinely love to get to know you more!
  • If my office hours don’t work for you: propose three or four times for an appointment.

Emergencies

Please reach out if there’s something going on in your life (it happens!).

Absences:

  • Email me if there’s a reason you can’t come to class (I consider mental health a legitimate reason for missing class).
  • To catch up: do the reading, read the handout, get notes from at least two classmates, and come to office hours to discuss any questions/thoughts you have.

Makeups & extensions:

  • If you email me 6 hours prior to the deadline: no questions asked.
  • A little bit later: a little bit of question asked.
  • Much later: a legitimate reason expected.

Tour of …

  • Course website: https://130.dingthemself.com
    • We will use D2L only for assignments and grades.
  • Reading schedule
  • Required books
  • Assignments/exams