Philosophy of Art (PHIL 361I) (#9947) -- Fall 2010 -- California State University, Long Beach

9:30-10:45 a.m. -- Mondays and Wednesdays -- LA5-246

Julie Van Camp, Professor of Philosophy

OFFICE: MHB-703	FACULTY MAILBOX: MHB-917

E-MAIL: jvancamp@csulb.edu

OFFICE HOURS: Wednesday: 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING

This course has been certified as an IC/Interdisciplinary capstone course for the first time. The University requires that IC courses include "substantial writing" (at last 5000 words) throughout the semester, with the first writing assignment no later than the fifth week of the semester. The course requirements and syllabus are designed to meet these University requirements. Use of Beachboard is required for this course.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

A.	Identify and explain the major questions answered by a theory or philosophy of art, including the definition and nature of art, and issues presented by the evaluation of art.

B.	Identify and explain major examples of philosophy of art, especially representationalism, expressionism, formalism, pragmatism/instrumentalism, symbolism

C.	Develop close reading and analytical skills of both philosophical and art-critical texts

D.	Identify and explain philosophical assumptions and reasoning in art-critical writing

E.	Explain similarities and differences between reasoning and analysis in philosophy of art and criticism of art

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

The semester grade will be based on two in-class exams (a midterm and final); a short paper; a case study which you will use to write on; a Beachboard quiz on plagiarism, and attendance points. All exams and quizzes are open-book-open-notes. Up to 4 bonus points can be earned for a substantial revision of the short paper. No other extra credit will be available this semester.

BEACHBOARD PLAGIARISM QUIZ. August 30 - September 12 (4 points)

The quiz will be an open-book-open-notes four-question quiz on the class plagiarism policy.

SHORT PAPER: Due Wednesday, September 29 at classtime. (12 points) This assignment will be posted Monday, September 20 on Beachboard. You will be given several examples of works (in several genres) on the Web and will write a 1000 word essay discussing whether or not the one you chose should be considered a work of art, using the course material through September 27. Students will break into small groups on September 29 to critique each other's papers. Students have the option of submitting a revised paper for up to four bonus points, due Monday, October 4 at classtime. In order to be eligible to submit a revised paper, you must attend the entire class on September 29 and participate in a small group critique. No late papers or revisions will be accepted unless you meet one of the University's excused absence policies.

EXAM I. MID-TERM. Monday, October 18 -- Units I and II (24 points)

The exam will be an open-book-open-notes The questions will test your understanding of the issues and reasoning in these units. Students may write their exam in a bluebook or may write it on a laptop during class time and submit it on a CD or electronically.

EXAM II. FINAL. Friday, December 17 - 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. – Unit III (24 points)

The final exam will be an open-book-open-notes 24-question exam on Units I and II. The questions will test your understanding of the issues and reasoning in this unit. Students may write their exam in a bluebook or may write it on a laptop during class time and submit it on a CD or electronically.

12 POINT ASSIGNMENT (Short Paper)

Grade	Points	Grade	Points

A+	12	C+	6

A	11	C	5

A- 10	C-	4

B+	9	D+	3

B	8	D	2

B-	7	D-	1

EXAM I & II (Midterm and Final) Grades: Up to 24 points are available, as follows:

Grade	Points	Grade	Points

A+	24-23	C+	12-11

A	22-21	C	10-9

A-	20-19	C-	8-7

B+	18-17	D+	6-5

B	16-15	D	4-3

B-	14-13	D-	2-1

Make-up exams will be permitted only for serious illness and mandatory University policies. A physicians' note will be required for illness. If you will need to take a make-up exam, you must send an e-mail to jvancamp@csulb.edu no later than one hour before the start of the exam. Your message must include a telephone number where I can reach you later that evening and the next day to schedule the make-up exam.

CASE STUDIES: Each student is required to pick one work of art from any genre which you will use as a case study for discussion group postings after the midterm. Each student must pick a different work; this will be determined on a first-come-first-served basis when the discussion board opens Wednesday, October 13 at 8:00 a.m. The deadline for posting your work (along with the title, artist, and a link to at least one site presenting the work) is Wednesday, October 20 at 11:59 p.m. Students may not select works used as discussion examples in the first part of the course up to the midterm. The instructor will reserve the right to rule a selection unacceptable on these grounds.

On the discussion board forums, you will post replies to your original postings as follows:

(1) Description of the work (100-150 words): deadline: November 1 at 11:59 pm (5 points)

(2) Interpretation of the work (150-200 words): deadline: November 15 at 11:59 pm (5 points)

(3) Evaluation of the work (150-200 words): deadline: December 6 at 11:59 pm (5 points)

REGULAR ATTENDANCE is expected of all students. To encourage regular attendance, additional points will be available for the course grade total. Attendance will be taken 18 times, beginning in the third week of the semester. Classes eligible for attendance points are indicated on your reading list with *[attendance point]. You will receive 1 point for each class you attend. Excused absences will be granted only for University mandatory policies; for illness, a physician's note will be required documenting serious illness and inability to attend class.

Attendance will be taken in a variety of ways. Sometimes a class list will be sent around for signature during class. Other times, students will be asked a simple question about the class material and submit an answer with their signature during class. (Please always have a blank piece of paper or file card with you at class.) Although it is understandable that students are sometimes a few minutes late or have a good reason for needing to leave a few minutes early, please do not expect attendance credit for a brief appearance in the classroom just to sign the attendance list

Whether or not you attend class, you are responsible for the material presented in class. It is recommended that you make friends and acquaintances with others in the class to share lecture notes, as needed.

TOTAL WEEKLY COMMITMENT OF TIME TO THIS COURSE: Ordinarily, in a college-level course, for each one hour of class, students should spend two hours of time in preparation. For this 3-unit course, students should expect to spend, on average, each week, three hours in the lectures and six hours in reading, studying, and writing, for a total of nine hours.

FINAL LETTER GRADES for the course will be assigned as follows:

COURSE GRADE	POINTS
A	81-101
B	61-80
C	40-60
D	25-39

Up to 101 points are available (see "maximum" in chart below). The cut-offs for final letter grades were calculated based on the following "hypothetical" students. Your final grade will be strictly a matter of the total points accumulated, however you accumulate them. (I.e., you do not need to "match" the distribution of the hypothetical student – all that matters for the final course grade is the point total you accumulate this semester.)

course elements	maximum	A	B	C	D
attendance	18	17	15	13	10
plagiarism quiz	4	4	4	3	3
short paper	12	10	7	4	2
bonus for revision	4
midterm exam	24	19	13	7	4
final exam	24	19	13	7	4
case studies
3 at 5 points each	15	12	9	6	2
TOTAL POINTS	101	81	61	40	25

Credit/No Credit students must accumulate sufficient points for a "C" for the course total (40).

DISABILITIES: It is the responsibility of students to notify me in writing, in advance, or any special accommodations for a disability, as verified by the University.

CHEATING AND PLAGIARISM: The CSULB policy on Cheating and Plagiarism will be followed strictly. Students who have any questions or uncertainty whatsoever about this policy are responsible for meeting individually with the instructor to discuss the policy. Students who cheat or plagiarize on any course requirements will be failed for the course and may be reported to the Office of Judicial Affairs for possible probation, suspension, or expulsion. The Turn-in-it Originality checker will be used for the written work in this course. The instructor also reserves the right to have an oral discussion with any student individually on any course element for any reason. Please remember: as easy as it is for you to find papers on the World Wide Web which you steal and submit as your own work, it is just as easy for me to find the source of a stolen paper; once I find the paper you stole, you are guaranteed an "F" for the course. If you sign the name of another student on the attendance list, that is also cheating and will be grounds for failing the course.

8/16/2010 - subject to revision until August 30, 2010