Professor Regina Rini

rarini@yorku.ca

What makes life meaningful? How does the answer change when so much of our life now takes place online - especially amid a pandemic that keeps us socially distant? Will our traditional ways of thinking about human meaning survive the shift to an ever-more-digital future? This class will introduce ancient philosophical debates – such as skepticism, the mind/body relationship, personal identity, free will, moral responsibility- via the changing ideas of modern digital culture. Our main guides will be the techno-prophet novelist Neal Stephenson and the existentialist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir, aided by shorter readings from contemporary theorists and journalists. Students will learn how to critically reflect on the media they consume and how they make thoughtful choices in their own lives.

This course will be delivered entirely online. Students will need resources both for asynchronous lecture viewing and for synchronous participation in weekly discussion sections. This includes a reliable internet connection and camera and microphone. In addition, students must be able to access articles in academic journals to which York has a subscription. Instructions on logging in to off-campus access are available here: https://www.library.yorku.ca/web/ask-services/computing/off-campus-access/

Here are some useful links for student computing information, resources and help:

Student Guide to Moodle

Zoom@YorkU Best Practices 

Zoom@YorkU User Reference Guide

Computing for Students Website

Student Guide to eLearning at York University

To determine Internet connection and speed, there are online tests, such as Speedtest, that can be run.]

Times and locations: Please note that this is a course that depends on remote teaching and learning. There will be no in-person interactions or activities on campus. Lectures will be pre-recorded and posted to eClass. Weekly discussion sections will be held synchronously over Zoom at their scheduled times. Zoom links will be distributed by email or our eClass site.

Virtual office hours:

Thursdays 10:30-11:30am. A Zoom link will be posted on our eClass site. If you cannot attend at this time, please email to request an appointment.

There are two required texts:

Neal Stephenson (2019). Fall; or Dodge in Hell: a Novel. William Morrow. ISBN: 978-0062458728

Simone de Beauvoir (1948/2018). The Ethics of Ambiguity. Open Road Media. ISBN: 978-1504054225

Additional readings will be drawn from internet-accessible academic journals and news/opinion publications. Nearly all will be available costlessly through York institutional subscriptions. A full list of readings will be available approximately one week before the semester begins.

60% weekly short writing assignments (you will write 7 and drop lowest grade)

30% final 3-5 page paper

10%  attendance and participation in weekly discussion section

This remotely-delivered class will be have both synchronous and asynchronous elements. The class will *not* meet during our scheduled lecture times. Instead, lectures will be delivered asynchronously through videos posted to eClass. I will post 2-4 mini-lectures each week; students are expect to have viewed each before attending discussion sections.

Discussion sections (conducted by TAs) will be held synchronously over Zoom at their scheduled times. If you have difficulty attending synchronously, please contact your TA to work out alternative arrangements. All course work will be submitted digitally through our eClass site.

Students will gain familiarity with central philosophical methodologies, concepts, and historically important thinkers. Students will develop writing skills aimed at developing critical thinking and evidence-based expression of opinion. Students will gain experience critically reflecting on the social implications of new technologies.

Course policies

When contacting the instructor about this class, please indicate which discussion section / TA you are assigned to. This will make a response much easier and quicker.

Participation constitutes 10% of the semester grade. If you feel any barriers to your speaking in class (nervousness, technical issues, or anything else) please contact your TA to discuss alternative ways for you to participate. Otherwise, not participating in class discussion will lower your grade.

Late assignments are typically assessed a 10% daily penalty. However, during the Covid-19 crisis we will be more flexible with this rule. If you cannot meet a deadline (for Covid-related reasons or any other) please be in touch with your TA as soon as possible so we can work out a catch-up schedule.

Recorded lectures are intended strictly for educational purposes within this class and cannot be redistributed for any other purpose or to any other audience. They must be deleted at the end of the semester. The same applies to any recordings that TAs may make during discussion sections.

Generally speaking, students may not record Zoom sessions, as doing so would violate the privacy of other students. Exceptions may be possible in cases of documented disability accommodation, but must be discussed with your TA in advance.

Please contact me or your TA by email early in the term if you have a disability that requires accommodation. Please note that you will need documentation from York Student Accessibility Services.