Hopkinsville Community College

Sample Syllabi

The Sample Syllabus is a sample of the probable flow of class and assignments but not the exact assignments/policies/statements. 

The Sample Syllabus contains an abridged version of the official Syllabus sans college-mandated policies not to overwhelm the student. However, if you would like the exact Syllabus for your term, please message me

Courses come with Complimentary Assignment Materials.

Click Thumbnail for specific course information:

PHI140 Ethics of War and Peace thumbnail

The Overall Objective of a Philosophy Course:

A general introduction to Western Philosophy courses attempts to answer many questions (but not limited to).


Types of Philosophical Questions

Epistemology:

- What is knowledge, and how is it acquired?

- How do we distinguish between true beliefs and false beliefs?

- What is the relationship between perception, reason, and knowledge?

- How do we know that we are not living in a simulation and that our perceptions of the world are accurate?

- What is the role of intuition in acquiring knowledge, and how reliable is it?

- Can we know things beyond our direct experience, such as the existence of other minds or the laws of nature?


Ethics:

- What is the nature of morality, and how do we determine what is right and wrong?

- How do cultural norms and values influence ethical judgments and decision-making?

- What is the relationship between individual freedom and social responsibility?

- Is it ever morally justifiable to break the law, and if so, under what circumstances?

- How do cultural norms and values shape our attitudes toward issues such as abortion, euthanasia, and capital punishment?

- Is morality objective, or is it a matter of subjective opinion and cultural practice?


Metaphysics:

- What is the nature of reality, and what can we know about it?

- What is the relationship between mind and body, and how do they interact?

- What is the nature of time, space, and causality?

- What is the relationship between mind and body, and how do we explain mental phenomena such as consciousness and free will?

- What is the nature of causality, and how do we explain the relationship between cause and effect?

- Is reality fundamentally material, or does it include immaterial or spiritual aspects?