Meetings: MWF 11:00 - 11:50, Room 100 SH

Instructor: John Santiago

1405 University Hall

312.996.3029

jsanti2@uic.edu

Office Hours: M 12:00 – 1:00 (or by appointment)

This is an introduction to the subject of personal autonomy and authenticity. As it appears in the real world, autonomy and authenticity take on two forms, analysis and expression –alternatively, the study and the object of study. You can liken this split between theory and practice, however, as I hope you’ll see by the end of the course, there isn’t such a clean divide between the two. To this end, we’ll be exploring philosophical issues as they appear in the traditional texts of the discipline as well as in non-standard sources such as poetry, autobiography and other media. It’s crucial to this class (and to the study of philosophy in general) that you spend time outside of class thinking about the material. Philosophy is not a spectator sport, and most certainly, autonomy and authenticity are not "academic" exercises. So if you don’t want to get your hands dirty (mentally speaking of course), this may not be a topic for you.

The course will be divided into four parts, with a fifth if time permits. The first part of the course will cover the origins of current thought on personal autonomy and authenticity in the analytic tradition –Frankfurt’s hierarchical model and its early critics. The second part examines various feminist responses to the model. In the third part we will cover alternative approaches to theorizing autonomy and authenticity –what is sometimes called "ground up" theory. Finally, we will address concerns over how oppressive socialization inhibits autonomy. The syllabus is meant only as a rough guide; some topics may take longer than others. To accommodate this, there is an optional section that we may or may not get through. This section focuses on authenticity in broader social contexts.

Part I: Heirarchical Models of Personal Autonomy and Authenticity

Week 1: Frankfurt –The Heirarchical Model

Week 2: Watson & Thalberg –Early Critics

Week 3: Frankfurt/Dworkin –Procedural Accounts

Part II: Feminist Responses

Week 4: Christman –Personal History

Week 5: Freidman –Integration

Week 6: Meyers –Competency

Part III: Intersectionality: Ground Up Theory

Week 7: Anzaldua –Mestizaje

Week 8: Anzaldua –Mestizaje

Week 9: Meyers –Intersectional Identity

Week 10: Santiago Baca –Lived Theory

Part IV: Oppression and Personal Autonomy

Week 11: Benson & Stoljar –Strong Substantive Theory

Week 12: Benson –Weak Substantive Theory

Week 13: Oshana –Constitutively Social Theory

Time Permiting: Topics in Authencity –imagination, play, identity, and culture

Week 14: Aparicio –Sites of Struggle for Cultural Authenticity

Week 15: Freire –Critical Consciousness as Resistance via Authenticity

Two 5-6 pg. term papers –20% each, weekly pop-quizzes –40%, final exam –20%. One large paper may be substituted with an alternative project (presentations, song, skit, etc.) that must be cleared with me first. What you get out of this class is only half up to me; the rest is your responsibility. Student discussions (inside and outside the class) are by far the best way to understand the material, and therefore strongly encouraged.

Don’t do it. This is in large part an introduction to authenticity (not Getting By 101), so it’s particularly heinous to see people cheat in this venue. We can safely assume you have gained nothing from the course, and therefore do not deserve to pass. I have ZERO tolerance for cheating. If I suspect you have plagiarized material, rest assured I will call you on it. In the event this happens, I will have all available means (and will not hesitate) to prove my case before the Student Advisory Committee, and the Dean of Students.

Turn off all electric devices. I will expect cell phones to be turned off, and pagers turned off or left on buzz. It is disruptive and extremely disrespectful to the class when these items go off.

Attendance is not mandatory, but the bulk of the grade will be based on unannounced quizes that can only be taken in class. Failure to attend will also directly affect your ability to perform –you will lose critical insight and clarification needed for the paper and exams. So please come to class.

Make-up Policy:

All papers will be due at the start of the class on which they are due. Quizes are taken in class and cannot be made up if missed. If the paper is late (i.e. brought to me after the start of class -this includes those brought to me at the end of class) it will incur a penalty of 1/3 of a letter grade each day (weekends do not count as one day). I DO NOT accept any papers through e-mail. This is not negotiable. So there’s no point in trying to work up to the wire. Very bad philosophy is done that way.

Exams cannot be made up. If there is a time conflict with another obligation you have, arrangements must be made BEFORE the date of the exam. This applies to the papers as well. Both (exams and papers) are advertised well in advance, so if there is any problem meeting your academic obligations, you have sufficient notice to make the necessary arrangements.

What I understand by ‘Philosopher:’ A terrible explosive in the presence of which everything is in danger."

-Friedrich Nietzsche

"Philosophy isn’t a good thing, it’s a great thing. It can lead to wonderful things, and it can lead to terrible things. But it means that you take the responsibility of trying to think deeply and with integrity seriously."

-Hilary Putman