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Course name
Philosophy of the Human Person, Part One (College Level) with Sam Nicholson
Recorded course taught by Sam Nicholson for High School Fundamentals of Philosophy
Summary

Enroll now to embark on a transformative journey of intellectual exploration and discovery.

Together, we will dive deep into the timeless questions of human nature and existence through the lens of our Catholic faith. Spanning from the ancient world to the present, students will explore canonical philosophical texts, from Plato's "Republic" to St. Thomas Aquinas's "Summa Theologica." Our goal is to cultivate critical thinking skills and foster philosophical literacy, empowering students to rationally evaluate competing claims about the human good.

Instructor: Sam Nicholson, PhD

Course Description: This two-semester course is a college-preparatory introduction to Philosophy offered in tandem with Franciscan University’s Advantage program. Our goal is to introduce students to the most fundamental questions about human nature, knowledge, and value. This introductory course will acquaint them with some of the canonical philosophical texts in the Western Tradition, spanning from the ancient world to the present. Our goal is to cultivate a sense of basic philosophical literacy and to learn how to think critically so that we can rationally evaluate competing claims about the human good.

Total classes

15

Duration

55 minutes

Prerequisites

There are no requirements, but it is recommended for advanced high-school students.

Suggested grade level

10th to 12th grade

Suggested credit

One full semester credit for Philosophy. Optional college credit is available through Franciscan University.

Outline

Course Outline: The Ancient and Medieval World

Week 1: Introduction, The Pre-Socratics

  Read: “Pre-Socratics” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Week 2: Plato, Introduction Biographical Background

  Read: “Apology”, “Phaedo” (excerpts)

Week 3: Plato (continued)

   Read: “Symposium”, “Euthyphro” (excerpts)

Week 4: Plato (continued)

  Read: “Gorgias”, “Phaedrus” (excerpts)

Week 5: Plato (continued)

  Read: “Republic” (excerpts)

Week 6: Aristotle - Logic

               Read: “Prior Analytics” (excerpts)

Week 7: Aristotle – Metaphysics

  Read: “De Anima” (excerpts); “Metaphysics”

Week 8: Aristotle – Metaphysics

  Read: “Metaphysics”

Week 9: Aristotle – Ethics & Politics

  Read: “Nicomachean Ethics” (excerpts)

Week 10: Hellenistic Philosophy I

                 Read: Epicurus “basic doctrines”

Week 11: Hellenistic Philosophy II

    Read: Epictetus “Enchiridion”

Week 12: St. Augustine

    Read: “Confessions” (excerpts)

Week 13: Boethius

    Read: “Consolations of Philosophy” (excerpts)

Week 14: St. Thomas Aquinas

                 Read: “Summa Theologica” (excerpts)

Week 15: St. Thomas Aquinas (continued)

                 Read: “Summa Theologica” (excerpts)

Materials

  • Our course texts will be distributed by the instructor, from a variety of sources both online and in a downloadable PDF format.

Homework

There will be three quizzes, a mid-term examination, and a cumulative final exam. These will make up 45%, 25%, and 25% of your grade, respectively. The quizzes will be fully automated, but the midterm and final will include short answer questions graded by the instructor. The remaining 5% of your grade will be assigned on the basis of attendance and participation. 

For students who opt into the dual-enrollment program, Franciscan University will offer additional testing to determine eligibility for college-level credit. This additional testing will comprise a midterm and a final exam.

Course name
Philosophy of the Human Person, Part One (College Level) with Sam Nicholson
Instructor
Sam Nicholson
Semester
Recorded
Category
Philosophy ➤ Fundamentals of Philosophy
Grade levels
High School
Start time
August 30th, 2024 at 2:30 PM ET
Course type
Recorded, free with subscription
Relative due dates
Relative due dates are disabled for this course.
Enhanced quiz security
Enhanced assignment security

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Sam Nicholson
scn8v@virginia.edu

About Sam Nicholson

Sam Nicholson earned his PhD from the University of Virginia in 2011. He has published in peer-reviewed academic journals, and he taught at the University level for nearly 10 years. He has taught philosophy and logic at the high school level since 2016. He is an analytically trained Thomist with special interests in the Philosophy of Mind, the Philosophy of Science, and the Theory of Knowledge.

Dr. Nicholson is married to Homeschool Connections’ Victorian literature instructor Eleanor Nicholson. The Nicholsons homeschool their five children. By day, he is the Facilities Supervisor at St. Thomas Aquinas parish in Charlottesville, VA.

Click here for more info about Sam Nicholson!

Courses

  • Basic Symbolic Logic (Comprehensive Courses in Logic)

  • Basics of Inductive Reasoning (Comprehensive Courses in Logic)

  • How to Battle Relativism, Nihilism, and Other Errors

  • Rhetoric and Reasoning (Comprehensive Courses in Logic)

  • Modern Symbolic Logic (Comprehensive Courses in Logic)

  • Classical Syllogistic Logic

  • Theories of Knowledge

  • Virtue and Vice: Ancient Philosophy for Modern Catholics

  • Philosophy: Mind, Body, and Soul

  • Great Philosophers: Meet Plato

  • Great Philosophers: Meet Aristotle

  • Hellenistic Philosophy

  • The Human Person (Franciscan Advantage Program)