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Introduction to Philosophy Course Outline — Outline Chart Template

This template visualizes a 14‑week philosophy syllabus by modules, weeks, topics, readings, learning objectives, and assessments.

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Introduction to Philosophy Course Outline (14 weeks) Course goal: Introduce central areas of analytic and historical philosophy, develop critical reading, argument analysis, and clear writing. Assessment summary: weekly quizzes, discussion posts, short essays, midterm, group presentation, final paper/exam.

Module 1: Foundations & Critical Thinking (Weeks 1-2) Topics: What is philosophy; argument structure; logical reasoning and fallacies. Key Readings: Excerpt from Plato, short guide to argumentation, instructor packet on logic. Learning Objectives: Define core philosophical tasks; identify premises and conclusions; evaluate basic arguments. Assessments: Participation, short logic quiz, 500-word argument analysis.

Module 2: Ethics (Weeks 3-5) Topics: Normative ethics, consequentialism, deontology, virtue ethics, moral dilemmas. Key Readings: J.S. Mill, Utilitarianism (selections); Immanuel Kant, Groundwork (selections); Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (selections). Learning Objectives: Compare major ethical theories; apply theories to cases; construct normative arguments. Assessments: Case-response posts, 1000-word comparative essay.

Module 3: Political Philosophy & Social Contract (Weeks 6-7) Topics: Justice, authority, social contract theories, rights. Key Readings: Plato, Republic (selections); Hobbes, Leviathan (selections); Locke, Second Treatise (selections). Learning Objectives: Explain major social contract arguments; assess concepts of justice and authority. Assessments: In-class debate, midterm review, short exam covering Modules 1-3.

Module 4: Epistemology (Weeks 8-9) Topics: Nature of knowledge, skepticism, Gettier problems, sources of justification. Key Readings: Descartes, Meditations (selections); Edmund Gettier, 'Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?'. Learning Objectives: Define knowledge; analyze skepticism; evaluate responses to Gettier cases. Assessments: 800-word critical response to a Gettier case; peer discussion moderation.

Module 5: Metaphysics (Weeks 10-11) Topics: Personal identity, free will, causation, metaphysical grounding. Key Readings: Locke on personal identity (selections); Parfit excerpts; Hume on causation (selections). Learning Objectives: Describe competing theories of identity and persistence; evaluate arguments for/against free will. Assessments: 1200-word essay on identity or free will; weekly quiz.

Module 6: Philosophy of Mind & Language (Weeks 12-13) Topics: Mind-body problem, consciousness, mental representation, meaning and reference. Key Readings: Descartes on mind-body; John Searle 'Chinese Room' (summary); Wittgenstein selections; Tarski/Wittgenstein on meaning overview. Learning Objectives: Explain major positions on mind-body relation; evaluate arguments about consciousness and language. Assessments: Group presentation; reflection journal on consciousness readings.

Finals & Integration (Week 14) Topics: Course synthesis, review of core themes, student-led integrative sessions. Key Readings: Instructor-provided synthesis packet; student-selected readings for final papers. Learning Objectives: Integrate course areas; demonstrate sustained argumentation in final product. Assessments: Final exam or 2500-word final paper; course evaluations.

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What This Template Offers

Quickly turn your introduction to philosophy course outline into a crisp, hierarchical view that’s easy to present, share, and update.

Ready-made 14‑week structure you can edit
Clear nodes for topics, readings, objectives, assessments
Color-coded modules for instant scanning
Instant preview, download, share, or embed
Fits any syllabus format—paste, tweak, publish

Perfect Use Cases

Syllabus Design & Updates

Draft or refine your semester plan in minutes. Align weeks, readings, and assessments so students and TAs see the flow at a glance.

Department Standardization

Create a consistent outline across course sections. Share a link or embed on your LMS for uniform communication.

Student Orientation & LMS Pages

Give students a high-level map of the course from day one. Reduce confusion with a visual path of expectations and due dates.

Accreditation & Assessment Reporting

Show explicit alignment between learning objectives and assessments. Export a polished chart for review packets.

How to Customize

Import or Paste Your Outline

Add your modules and weeks by typing, pasting from a doc/spreadsheet, or uploading a file (Pro). The hierarchy forms automatically.

Label and Color-Code

Rename nodes, add short descriptors (topic, readings, assessment), and apply colors per module for quick scanning.

Share and Iterate

Preview instantly, then download, share a link, or embed. Update anytime—your chart stays synced with your syllabus.

Why Choose This outline Template

Key Benefits

Save hours turning a long syllabus into a clear visual

Communicate objectives, readings, and workload at a glance

Professional, department-ready presentation in minutes

Easy to maintain—edit once, share everywhere

Pro Tips

💡Keep labels short: Topic — Reading — Assessment (max 90–120 chars)

💡Use one color per module to guide the eye through weeks

💡Limit depth to 3–4 levels for readability (Module > Week > Item)

Create Your Own outline — fast, clear, and professional

Turn your course plan into a polished outline chart in minutes. Paste your data, preview instantly, and share anywhere.

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Create Your Own outline — fast, clear, and professional

Turn your course plan into a polished outline chart in minutes. Paste your data, preview instantly, and share anywhere.

Free to start

No sign-up required

AI-powered

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