Introduction to Philosophy (August 31, 2026)

Main ideas, concepts, and lessons

1) Course purpose and teaching approach (political philosophy)

• The instructor welcomes students and explains the course is upper-/middle-division level focused on political philosophy.
• The course uses a different teaching method than typical history/lecture-style classes.
• A key “big challenge” is finding good, readable primary sources, since some foundational philosophers are difficult to read in original form.

2) Reading strategy: accessibility over unreadable originals

• Thomas Hobbes is identified as important, but the instructor will not assign Hobbes to read directly because:
  • he is “brilliant,” yet nearly impossible to read (very long sentences, older 16th–17th century English),
  • no suitable edited “rewrite” version is available.
• Instead, the instructor selects readable readings, such as:
  • Jean-Jacques Rousseau (French; longer sentences but “a little easier”).
• Even with readable selections, some texts may still be difficult due to language barriers (English may not be students’ first language).

3) Content goals: include women philosophers and emphasize social-contract themes

• The instructor plans to add more women writers because the recorded tradition is patriarchal.
• Planned women authors include:
  • Hannah Arendt (especially on totalitarianism),
  • Mary Wollstonecraft (planned/uncertain at the time, though a good article had been found).
• Explicit emphasis is placed on Wollstonecraft and Arendt, with one more additional author possible if there is time.
• Reading/prompt themes include:
  • social contract theory
  • community and governance
  • democracy and its problems
  • constitution-building: what freedoms and punishments should exist in a new society

4) Core conceptual framing: balancing freedom with rules (social contract)

• Social-contract framing is introduced via Hobbes as a conceptual starting point:
  • In a “natural condition,” humans exist in a war of all against all.
  • A contract is needed to establish:
    • rules/laws,
    • punishments,
    • definitions of crimes,
    • protections that prevent constant killing.
• The tradeoff:
  • society reduces absolute freedom,
  • but increases safety and livability.
• Example idea: everyday freedom is limited by rules (e.g., you cannot freely act violently or illegally in public life).

5) Course style: practical, relevant writing and thinking

• The instructor rejects “dry history of ideas” as boring.
• Students should apply theories to real-world contexts (examples may include Myanmar or students’ own places).
• The course encourages active questioning, not passive acceptance of answers.
• Learning is framed as engagement and struggle, not simply arriving at “correct answers.”

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Detailed methodology / instructions (course mechanics and student expectations)

A) Classroom participation and interaction

• No quizzes, and the instructor expresses dislike for exams.
• Grading emphasizes:
  • reading engagement,
  • discussion and writing workshops,
  • midterm and final components.
• The instructor encourages:
  • students to ask questions and share opinions,
  • camera-on participation when possible (participation is tracked).
• During group discussions, students may talk in any language, but writing/presenting should be done in English.

B) Platform and submission requirements

• Assignments are submitted through Canvas only.
• Do not email assignments to the instructor.
• Office hours are scheduled through Calendly (Zoom links provided after scheduling).
• If students cannot attend an office hour, they should give 24 hours notice.

C) Deadlines and late policy

• Deadlines are treated strictly; extensions are generally not given.
• Late penalty:
  • 0–2 hours late: low penalty
  • 2–48 hours late: penalty of -10 (drops a whole grade)
  • After 48 hours: no submissions accepted
• Grading prioritizes assignments submitted on time.

D) AI and academic integrity policy (explicit)

• Generative AI is not allowed in any coursework.
• The instructor explains enforcement aligns with university misconduct rules, and AI use is treated seriously.
• If accused:
  • students should not panic,
  • students have the right to defend themselves, but
  • the burden of proof is on the student to show they did not use AI.
• Evidence the instructor expects may include:
  • good reading notes,
  • documentation of drafts and revisions,
  • saved versions/files,
  • photos of handwritten notebook pages (if relevant).

E) Grammarly and grammar tools

• A student asks about using Grammarly.
• Instructor guidance:
  • the instructor prefers students not to use Grammarly, especially not on essays,
  • visible struggle and thinking matter more than polished correctness,
  • clarity is important, but perfection is not the goal.

F) Reading system using Perusal (with student instructions)

• Readings are distributed via Perusal and must be completed before the first class session of each week.
• Perusal is described as:
  • a reading tool and a discussion/comment space,
  • where an “automated grade” is partially generated.
• Students must also keep their own reading notes in addition to Perusal, using:
  • a notebook, cloud doc (e.g., Google Docs), or their own computer document.
• Notes should include:
  • page numbers for quotes,
  • citation details matching the assigned edition.
• Behavioral rule:
  • Do not copy-paste into Perusal, since it can trigger notifications (the instructor views pasted content as such).

G) How to write from reading notes (foundation → essay)

• Core writing method:
  • reading notes are the foundation for later essays.
• During writing:
  • organize notes into arguments and structure,
  • use correct citations,
  • cite the assigned edition (the instructor may upload version files to Canvas).
• Philosophy students are advised to:
  • start writing when they reach understanding (“the moment where you get it”),
  • sometimes keep writing even before fully finishing note-taking.

H) Note-taking guidance (what to capture while reading)

Students should record:

• what they agree with,
• what they disagree with,
• questions they have,
• key concepts triggered by the text.
• Instructor’s own workflow includes:
  • separate notes stored on their computer/hard drive,
  • clearly distinguishing:
    • quotes (with page numbers),
    • paraphrases,
    • own thoughts/questions (kept clearly separate),
  • faster later essay writing via searchable notes.

I) Course grading structure (percentages mentioned)

• Reading comprehension (Perusal): 15%
• Discussion and writing workshops: 15%
• Remaining components include:
  • a midterm report
  • a final project/presentation (exact weights not fully specified here)
• Participation is mentioned as 10% for the semester, with:
  • negative tracking for cameras off/disengagement,
  • positive tracking for questions and opinions.

J) Weekly schedule and workflow for class sessions

• Typical pattern:
  • Day 1
    • Students complete Perusal readings/comments beforehand.
    • Class discusses Perusal responses and the instructor clarifies.
  • Day 2
    • No new reading is usually assigned.
    • In-class group work (breakouts),
    • then students write and may present thoughts.

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Specific content introduced: Plato and Aristotle (key takeaways)

Plato (intro)

• The instructor previews Plato to “get to Aristotle.”
• Two major themes for Plato:
  • Public vs. private:
    • virtue should be consistent in public life and private life.
  • Reframing “politics”:
    • ancient Greek polis = community/city-state,
    • Plato connects politics to cultivation/care for the soul,
    • the state should operate like a family to reduce public/private division.
• Philosophical method emphasis:
  • prioritize questions over answers.

Aristotle (intro)

• Aristotle is presented as:
  • a teacher of Alexander the Great,
  • the founder of the Lyceum / broader academy tradition.
• Aristotle builds on the family-as-model politics idea, adding:
  • humans as rational/reasoning animals,
  • the city-state as a natural phenomenon,
  • reason as central in both family and politics.
• Terminology guidance:
  • State = government/political organization
  • Nation = people (sometimes similar, sometimes different)
• Limitations and critical reading:
  • Aristotle includes “very bad views of women” and discussions of slavery/women that may be unfair,
  • students should be critical of these aspects.
• Inclusive reading instruction:
  • when encountering “man/men,” students should mentally translate as “person/people,”
  • while still noting ancient power structures.

Transition concept: politics as organizing and the freedom/sovereignty tradeoff

• Politics is broadly defined as organizing how people live together.
• A recurring concept:
  • Sovereignty = who has control (including self-sovereignty vs state sovereignty).
• Sovereignty and freedom relationship:
  • you often gain protection by giving up some freedom in exchange for shared rules and governance.

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Speakers / sources featured (explicit)

People (speakers in the video)

• Professor (unnamed instructor of the course) — the main speaker.

Philosophers / authors referenced as course content

• Thomas Hobbes
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau
• Hannah Arendt
• Mary Wollstonecraft (spelled in subtitles as “Volstonecraft”; also described as mother of Mary Shelley)
• Mary Shelley
• William Godwin
• Aristotle
• Plato
• Socrates
• René Descartes (mentioned via “How do I know I’m not dreaming”)
• Niccolò Machiavelli (appears in schedule mentions)
• Montesquieu (mentioned in schedule; subtitle says “Montescu”)
• John Locke (mentioned as an example of an essay topic)
• James Madison (mentioned as ending focus on constitutional renewal)
• Alexis de Tocqueville (mentioned as “Toqueville”)

Systems / platforms mentioned (tools and policies)

• Canvas
• Perusal
• Grammarly
• Zoom
• Calendly
• Messaging groups suggested: Telegram and Signal
• AI / generative AI (as a policy subject)
• Wikipedia (something the instructor does not want students using)