Course Description:

Classification, Natural Kinds, and Kinds of Humans:
We will start by looking at some classic papers on natural kinds and classification in the sciences such as Goodman, Quine, Hacking, and Boyd. Then we will move to thinking about classification in the human sciences and in particular, kinds of humans. Are males and females natural kinds? What about man and woman? Are sex and gender different kinds of things? What about human races? Are there any such things? If there are, are they socially constructed? Or biologically real? Or something else?

Course Webpage:

All information about the course (such as this syllabus) as well as the reading assignments and links to papers can be found on the course website at http://joelvelasco.net/teaching/5330

Required Reading:

All readings will be made available electronically on this website.

Evaluation: Your grade in the class will be based on participation as well as written assignments. First, you must come to class prepared and participate throughout the term (described below). Second, there will be several short assignments due throughout the semester. There will also be at least one more substantial paper.

Class Participation: Philosophy is a communal enterprise: the ability to make valuable oral contributions to philosophical discussions can be as important as the ability to write well. Moreover, since the written assignments will force the students to think carefully about very specific topics, participation in class discussion is an important way for students to demonstrate a broader competence with the material than is possible in the papers alone. Evaluation will be based upon the quality, not the quantity, of comments made during class. Students are encouraged to continue class discussions after the class is over, by meeting with me in office hours, or continuing the discussion over e-mail with me. Of course discussion with each other outside of class is strongly encouraged as well. Students who for any reason have difficulty speaking up in class are especially encouraged to (and must!) pursue these options. It should go without saying that attendance is an absolutely essential component of class participation.

Special Accommodations: If you have a disability or personal circumstance that will require special accommodation, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Academic Integrity:  Cheating and plagiarism are, of course, prohibited in this class just as they are in all university classes. They will be taken particularly seriously in this class, and any cases that may arise will be treated in a manner consistent with University policy. These two violations of academic integrity are each defined in the section of the Texas Tech online official publications titled “Academic Integrity.” Plagiarism is there described as follows:
“'Plagiarism' includes, but is not limited to, the appropriation of, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means material that is attributable in whole or in part to another source, including words, ideas, illustrations, structure, computer code, other expression and media, and presenting that material as one’s own academic work being offered for credit.”  http://www.depts.ttu.edu/studentconduct/academicinteg.php  
            You can find excellent explanations of what specifically constitutes plagiarism as opposed to proper citation, and also tutorials on how to avoid plagiarism at the following websites: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~writing/sources/
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml
Note:  If, at any time, you are at all unclear about what counts as plagiarism, or about whether you are properly citing sources in any of your written work, please just come by and ask me about it.  You do not want to be confused or careless about this serious matter.

This is a tentative schedule/reading list: