Phil 1000 - Intro: Survey of Philosophy

Instructor:  Lex Newman

A detailed syllabus of the course will be forthcoming, namely at the start of the semester. In the mean time, I want to make a comment about what you should be buying at the bookstore.

There are two items to purchase at the bookstore:

• McGraw-Hill Primis custom course pack. (Bundled with the course pack will be an Enrollment Code that you'll eventually need. Don't buy a course pack unless it is shrink-wrapped, thus including the code.)
• CPS remote clicker device — here's what it looks like. You may need to talk with a bookstore employee to find out where they have the remote devices, assuming information is not posted with the course packs. (NOTE: The bookstore is also selling the old CPS device, which is blue and yellow, rather than the all white version pictured here. That device will work, but it's older technology, and you'll want the latest technology for your money. Insist on the new device that's all white in color.)

The custom course pack contains not only the course readings, but all of the course lecture outlines. The course pack is not available used, because it is customized to the content of this particular run of the course. If someone is offering to sell you their course pack used, don't buy it. It won't have the right readings, and it won't have the right lecture outlines.

Take note that another instructor who is teaching another version of the same course (Phil 1000) is also assigning his students readings from a McGraw-Hill Primis custom course pack: make sure to buy the course pack for my course, not the one for his. On the front cover, it will have my name listed as the instructor. (The other instructor's course pack will have a different set of materials inside.)

If you already own a CPS clicker device from another course, you should be able to use that one in our course. If not, upon purchasing the device for our course you will be able to use it in any other course that uses them.

Cost-wise, though you do actually buy the device, the total amount that you'll spend for this course is quite reasonable: all costs told, you'll be spending about the same amount (or probably less) than you spend for your other courses, because the course pack is quite reasonably priced.

Importantly, make sure to keep your bookstore receipt. It will make your life much, much easier in the event that you need for some reason to deal with the bookstore about your purchase, e.g., if you drop the course, or the CPS device is damaged, or some such.

One final note. You will need regularly to use a computer in this course and to get online. If you do not own a computer, you will be able to use campus computer labs.