Philosophy and Technology
PHL 3060, Section 1 - Spring 2007
MWF 9:05 - 10:00 Kaplan 3
Mount Saint Mary College, Newburgh, NY

DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
In this course we will be examining four questions questions. The first is "what is technology when considered from the view of philosophy?" This will be the focus of our initial investigations as we consider what we mean when we say that something is technology. The other questions take similar format, but consider technology from different perspections. We will consider possible answers to the questions of "how does technology shape what the world is like?"; "how does technology detemine what we know?"; "how does technology determine who we are?" and "what ought we do with technology?"

The format for this course has been designed to provide you an opportunity to see how technology is viewed from a philosophical perspective. For the first few weeks, we will consider the first question. After this we will examine in order 1) how technology may have an impact on the social world around us, 2) how it is vital for and determines the type of knowledge we have, and 3) different claims about what should be the limits for the use of technology. The first half of the class will consider the topics of what technology is and how it impacts us and the world. The second half how it affects what we know, how it determines who we are, and will consider some of the ethical issues related to technology.

There are several objectives for this course. First, you whill be able to articulate the characteristics of several philosophies of technology. Second, you will be able identify the philosophical issues created by different forms of technology and recount positions on these issues. Third, you will be able to articulate critical evaluations to these positions. Finally, you will be able to develop and defend your own position on the two questions being addressed in this course.

TEXTS
There are two required texts for this course. The first is Philosophy of Technology by Val Dusek (Blackwell. 2006. ISBN 1-4051-1163-1). The second is Philosophy of Technology: The Technological Condition, An Anthology editted by Robert Scharff and Val Duseck (Blackwell. 2003 ISBN 0-631-22219-7). I will also provide occasional articles and/or links to them.

ASSIGNMENTS
You will have to do a significant amount of reflection and writing for this class. The first written assignment will be five single page summary/reflection essays on some of the passages from the textbook. These will count for 10% of your grade. There will also be five in-class and/or group assignments for another 10% of your grade. NOTE: I will not accept make-up work for any group or in-class assignments. In addition, you will only be able to make up one of the summary/reflection essays.

There will be two combination take home and in-class tests (midterm and final). The midterm will be worth 25% of your final grade, and the final will be worth 25% of your final grade. The take home essay questions will be distributed at least one week before the midterm and final are scheduled.

The other assignment will be a critical analysis of a topic related to one of the articles we discuss in class The total of this assignment will account for 20% of your final grade

Participation will be worth the remaining 10% of your final grade. This grade will be determined not only by the contributions you make to the class but also how you present yourself. If you are disrespectful of others and their opinions or you are a continual distraction to the class, this will adversely affect this portion of you grade.

GRADING
I will use the following scale to determine the grade:

A 100 - 92	B- 79 - 78	D+ 66 - 64
A- 91 - 90	C+ 77 - 74	D 63 - 58
B+ 89 - 86	C 73 - 70	F 57 - 0
B 85- 80	C- 69 - 67

ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS AND GRADING RUBRICS
Detailed descriptions of the assignments and grading rubrics will be developed for the short writing assignment and final paper. Links to the rubrics will be provided here.

POLICIES

1. Complete work on time: your are expected to be an active participant in class and this requires having your work done before class starts. If you come to class unprepared, I may ask ask you to leave.
2. Late work is penalized: any assignment late by one class period is marked down by 5%; 10% if it is later than that. If you know you must miss a class for a scheduled event (religious holiday, athletics, etc.), please let me know in advance so we can make arrangements for making up the work. It is also your responsibility to be sure that I get the work you submit. If you turn something in other then during class, you must check to be sure that I did get it.
3. End of the semester and late work: Aany work submitted on the last day of class will be subject to 20% penalty. Furthermore, any work submitted at any time after the last student has completed the final during the regularly scheduled session of the last section of this class will not be counted.
4. PLAGIARISM WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. READ, KNOW AND LIVE THIS. Plagiarism is any use of information, idea, or words of another person or source that is not document. I make every effort to return work within one week of the due date (failure of my doing so results in additional credit to you equivalent to the late penalties noted above), however, in cases where I suspect plagiarism I reserve the right to change your grade after this I have returned your work if I find evidence of plagiarism. You may wish to work with other people, but the work you turn in must be your own work. Instances of plagiarism can range from failure to document sources (an offense that will result in a 10% deduction of the possible points of the assignment from you grade) to verbatium copying selections from another source and (an offense that will result in receiving a 0 on the assignment and will result in the lowering of your final grade by at least one full letter grade). In cases where two classmates copy work together, I will grade the best paper and split the grade between the two offenders unless one admits to the plagiarism. If you plagiarize in any form a second time in this class, you fail.
5. Tolerance: You must show consideration and tolerance to others. If you are not being considerate or tolerant, you will be asked to leave the classroom.
6. Cell phones: If you have one and bring it to class make sure either that you turn it off or set the ringer to vibrate. If your cell phone goes off during class, I will take it and personally turn it off.the first time. The second time, I will ask for it whenever you enter the classroom and turn it off and return it at the end of each class period.
7. iPods and other electronic devices: If I see headphones on or in your ears, I will take them. You can keep the iPod, mp3 player, etc., but if you want to listen to it you will need new headphones.

COURSE SCHEDULE UPDATES

This schedule will be updated as we progress through the course. Check this link throughout the term to get the updates.

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