Paramus High School

PARAMUS HIGH SCHOOL PARAMUS, NEW JERSEY

DEPARTMENT: Social Studies

COURSE: Philosophy

LEVEL: 11, 12

DURATION: Semester

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Philosophy is a survey course that explores the writing of the great thinkers of the Western World. The prime concern is to understand man and his environment through an exploration of politic, economics, religions, and social institutions with the overriding theme of the nature of man.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to:

1. Understand that the growth of Western economic, social religious and political thought is an on going process.

2. Comprehend the extent to which economic, social, religious and political thought effect their daily lives.

3. View mankind in a humanistic context.

4. View the struggles, conflicts, and failures of human existence as striving toward growth, characteristic of every human life.

5. Understand mankind and its political, economic, religious and social implications through the writings of contrasting philosophies.

6. Trace the growth of philosophical ideas as they keep pace with the modern world.

7. Cite examples of how man has failed to eliminate war, poverty and prejudices.

8. Describe future expectations of fellow men and the effect it will have on the world.

9. Demonstrate an understanding of what man really is and his place in the world.

10. Compare the society of Plato to the society of today.

11. Understand the interrelationship among economic, social, religious, and political thought. 2

12. Demonstrate an understanding of the changes forced upon the Eastern cultures by the Western cultures.

13. Describe what various philosophers believe that man seeks in life.

14. Determine why some men seek power and some do not.

NEW JERSEY CORE SOCIAL STUDIES CONTENT STANDARDS 6.1 A. Social Studies Skills 1. Analyze how historical events shape the modern world. 2. Formulate questions and hypotheses from multiple perspectives, using multiple sources. 3. Gather, analyze, and reconcile information from primary and secondary sources to support or reject hypotheses. 4. Examine source data within the historical, social, political, geographic, or economic context in which it was created, testing credibility and evaluating bias. 5. Evaluate current issues, events, or themes and trace their evolution through historical periods. 6. Apply problem-solving skills to national, state, or local issues and propose reasoned solutions. 7. Analyze social, political, and cultural change and evaluate the impact of each on local, state, national, and international issues and events. 8. Evaluate historical and contemporary communications to identify factual accuracy, soundness of evidence, and absence of bias and discuss strategies used by the government, political candidates, and the media to communicate with the public.

COURSE CONTENT

A. Plato B. Aristotle C. Francis Bacon D. Spinoza E. Voltaire F. Herbert Spencer, Commte and Darwin G. Bertrand Russell H. George Santayana I. William James J. John Dewey

EVALUATION PROCEDURES:

A. Tests and Quizzes B. Notebook C. Research Study 3 D. Essays on Political Thought E. Attendance F. Final Examination G. Class Participation