PHI318 Philosophy of Love

2023

Syllabus

PHI 318

Philosophy of Love
Last Updated: June 15, 2023

Frank (FrankeAlan) Sanford

fasanford@coastal.edu / 843-781-1256

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Syllabus

1. Welcome to Philosophy of Love

Greetings to fellow travelers of the world interested in finding out, and possibly trying to
understand, some of the manifestations of love. While it is a “many splendid thing” we do, there
are many different kinds of love, with different aspects particular to each one, history, and
theories behind them all. This class examines the nature of love and some of its ethical and
political ramifications. For the philosopher, the question “What is love,” generates a host of
issues that may affect your life in many unexpected, happy, sometimes sad ways, and is at the
very core of our existence. Welcome to a journey that will hopefully leave you better equipped to
navigate all the ways love is a part of your life…

Course Description

In this course, students will be introduced to classical and contemporary issues in the philosophy
of love through careful reading of essential texts that range from Plato to Marion and Hooks.
These texts will raise critical questions and present insightful analyses of the philosophy of love,
an area which is itself—to borrow the words of Kierkegaard— “essentially indescribable and
inexhaustible.” Through a penetrating discussion of these rich primary sources, students will
broaden their horizons in this often-misunderstood area of philosophy, and they will be
encouraged to develop their own response to the central over-arching question: “How does one
enact the highest task of loving another?” Online asynchronous classes will be a mixture of
recorded video lectures, assignments, analyses, essays, discussions, and responses.

Admission Requirements
There are neither pre-requisites nor co-requisites. However, students should possess basic
computer skills (e.g., MS Office, Internet search skills), along with Adobe Acrobat Reader,
which is downloadable free of charge at https://get.adobe.com/reader/.

Course Requirements

1. The student will access and follow all course instructions found in the weekly/unit content
area of the Moodle course.
2. The student will review weekly topics and complete the reading assignments under each
corresponding weekly section.
3. The student will complete the assigned discussion/assignment/project by the deadlines.
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4. The student will complete and submit assignments electronically inside Moodle.
5. The student will complete an ongoing semester project in accordance with the instructions
given in this syllabus and the online course.

Minimum Technical Skills Needed:

 Using the learning management system (Moodle)
 Using E-mail with attachments
 Creating and submitting files in commonly used word processing program formats
 Copying and pasting
 Downloading and installing software
 Using spreadsheet programs

Delivery
Anything class related (e.g., lectures, assignments, discussions) will be online. E-mail is the best
way to reach me for concerns, problems, and clarifications. Most questions are answered in the
syllabus and on Moodle or Weebly class site., look there first.

Workload
How much time will be required varies with the individual but expect to spend 1-3 hours per day
on readings, assignments, and assessments.

Frank Alan Sanford

2. Preface
The reading assignments will help students to follow the lectures and participate in discussions.
Students should read the assigned texts carefully. Students are not expected to understand all the
details of the material but should have an understanding of the major points and issues. Students
should feel free to ask questions about the material; however, it is important that all students are
respected and follow online etiquette.

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Syllabus

3. Course Information
Course Title: PHILOSOPHY OF LOVE

Prerequisites: Philosophy 101

Description: This online class will be navigated through video lectures,

assignments, discussions, and readings to explore the subject of love.
While the concept of love may be familiar there are many aspects to
be examined philosophically. Philosophical concepts and theories will
be explored along with the most important philosophers associated
with them.

Intended Audience: College-level participants with an interest in philosophy or love.

Program: This is a 15-week course with a separate module on Moodle for each
week. We will be using Weebly as an extension class website for
additional readings, assignments, and information.

College: Liberal Arts Humanities

Mindful Reading Assignments (MRAs)

Throughout the course, students will be required to submit three MRAs in which they:

(1) identify a passage from an assigned reading that has affected (deepened, changed, confirmed,
qualified, raised new questions, etc.) the way they think.

(2) explain the significance of the passage (e.g., its difficulty, originality, insight, truthfulness,
etc.) and how their thinking has been affected (deepened, changed, confirmed, qualified, raised

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Syllabus

new questions, etc.).

The assignments will be due by 11:59 every Monday night (unless otherwise advised) and should
include the passage and reference (singled-spaced, use ellipses if more than 50 words) and the
explanation/body (double-spaced, 300 to 500 words). MRAs must be submitted electronically on
Moodle Assignments by midnight of the due date. Late assignments received after the deadline
will not earn any points. Note that if a problem with the website may lead to a submission being
late, then the student should be sure to email the assignment to the instructor before the deadline.
If, instead of completing the MRAs, students would prefer to write a short research paper on a
problem within the philosophy of love, then they should speak to the instructor about this
possibility.

4. Goals and Outcomes

Course Goals

Students will acquire detailed and sophisticated knowledge about the writings of the central
figures in the philosophy of love.
 Students will discover, identify, and explain the central problems in the philosophy of love.
 Students will begin to develop their own responses to these problems and take responsibility
for and ownership of their own personal philosophical development.
 Students will actively engage in philosophical dialogue by critically discussing and evaluating
the philosophical texts.
 Students will respect the multiple perspectives that are presented and developed throughout the
course.
 Students will become wiser regarding the nature of love.

Course Outcomes
After completing this course, students will be able to:

Speak and write knowledgeably about the history, foundational theories, and philosophical
concepts of love. Apply these philosophical concepts, ideas, and new ways of thinking about
love to their own lives. Recognize fallacious ideas, thoughts, and claims expressed by others.

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5. Grading

Students will be able to follow their progress in the course by the record of their grades found
on Moodle Course Page: Grades. The student’s final grade will be determined by dividing the
total points received by the total possible points. The percentage will be judged according to the
following scale. Note that the instructor uses the following “standard-plus” grading scale:

A = Excellent, far exceeds average understanding as evidenced in course work and goes
significantly beyond the basics. 90- 100%

B+ = Far above average, meets or exceeds average understanding as evidenced in course work
and fully understands the basics and goes somewhat beyond that level. 87- 89.x%

B = Above average, fully meets average understanding as evidenced in course work and fully
understands the basics and can deal with concepts somewhat beyond that level. 80- 86.x%

C+ = Slightly above average, fully meets expectations for basic understanding as evidenced in
coursework and understands the basics. 77- 79.x%

C = Average, meets minimum expectations and satisfies course requirements 70- 76.x%

D+ = Below average, meets most minimum expectations and satisfies all or most course
requirements. 67- 69.x%

D = Below average, meets many minimum expectations and satisfies all or most course
requirements. 60- 66.x%

F = Fails to meet minimum expectations in understanding and coursework as evidenced by

performance and submission of graded elements. 0- 59.x%

Students’ grades will be based on the following points:

 Weekly Assignments 10 x 10 points

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 Quizzes 5 x 10 points

 Discussions 10 x 5 points

 Midterm Exam 1 x 50 points

 Final Exam 1 x 50 points

 Total Points 300 (This is a projection and may be modified.)

Course Assessments
Unless otherwise noted, all assessments must be submitted to Moodle. Neither email nor
hardcopy submissions will be accepted. Supplemental instructions and rubrics will be available
online.

Quizzes
Two quizzes will be administered during the session. You will complete each quiz online using
Moodle. Each quiz will be considered open-book; you may consult all online course materials, or
even external Internet resources. You are also encouraged to collaborate with your classmates
currently enrolled in EDIT 650, provided that you each submit your own quiz. You will be
allowed a maximum of 24 hours to complete each quiz, which must be submitted before the
deadlines posted in Moodle.

Discussions
Module discussions are designed to engage a student’s interaction with others in the course and
provide constant, helpful feedback and assistance when dealing with various issues in online
teaching and learning. Discussion postings should be courteous, thoughtful, and carefully
written. To facilitate the discussion and prevent procrastination, two deadlines are scheduled for
each discussion. Pay attention to each date.

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Incomplete
A grade of incomplete may be granted to students who have suffered serious personal illness or
critical emergency circumstances during the academic term, resulting in failure to complete all
assignments by the end of the quarter. Documentation from a physician is required and must be
attached to the petition for a temporary grade of incomplete. Please see the college catalog for
additional information.

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6. Textbooks and Supplies

Required Texts (listed in the order we shall read them)

Singer, Irving. (2009). Philosophy of Love: A Partial Summing-Up. Cambridge, MA: The MIT
Press.

Plato. (2006). Plato on Love. (C.D.C. Reeve, Ed.). Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company.

Spinoza, Baruch. (1992) Ethics, Treatise on the Emendation of the Intellect, and Selected
Letters. (Seymour Feldman, Ed.). Translated by Samuel Shirley. Indianapolis: Hackett
Publishing Company.

Kierkegaard, Søren. (2009). Works of Love (Kjerlighedens Gjerninger, Ed.) (Howard and Edna
Hong, Trans.) Harper Perennial.

Marion, Jean-Luc. (2007). The Erotic Phenomenon. Stephen E. Lewis, Trans.) Chicago: Chicago
UP, 2007.

Hooks, Bell. (2000). All about Love: New Visions. Harper Perennial.

Recommended Texts
 Plato (1989). Symposium (a. Nehamas & P. Woodruff, Trans.) Hacket Publishing
Company. (Original work published ca, 385-378 BCE)

 Spinoza, Baruch. (1992) Ethics, Treatise on the Emendation of the Intellect, and Selected
Letters. (Seymour Feldman, Ed.). Translated by Samuel Shirley. Indianapolis: Hackett
Publishing Company.

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7. Schedule

Module 1: Epistemology of Love

The philosophical theory of the knowledge of love. How we may know love personally, How we
may understand it. The philosophical study of the nature, origin, and limits of the knowledge of
love.

Module 2: The Psychology of Love

Module 3: The History of Love: How it’s Changed the World

Module 4: The Many Definitions of Love: Its Relationship to Words and Linguistics

Module 5: Philosophers of Love

Module 6: Eastern Traditions of Love

Module 7: Post-Modern and Current Theories of Love

Module 8: Ethics of Love

Module 9: Religion and Love

Module 10: Love and the Arts

8. Course Policies
Deadlines and Late Work

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 You will always be given explicit instructions on where to send your assignments.
Assignments are usually due on a weekly basis—the exact dates will always be found in
the activities. If you wish to complete an assignment prior to the due date, you may
(however, a group assignment must be completed during the week assigned OR upon
approval of every member of the group). NO LATE SUBMISSION WILL BE ACCEPTED.
PLEASE BE AWARE OF THIS POLICY AND SUBMIT YOUR WORK ON TIME. This policy
will be strictly enforced.
 All due dates are posted and late assignments, quizzes, and discussions are counted as
zero.
 In the event of an emergency or absence you will need to notify by E-mail before the due
date and provide documentation when submitting the late assignment.

Class Participation

Students are required to log in on to the online course a minimum of three times a week.
The instructor will use the tracking feature in Moodle to monitor student activity. Students
are also required to participate in all class activities such as discussion board, chat or
conference sessions, and group projects (if any).

Virtual Classroom Citizenship

The same guidelines that apply to traditional classes should be observed in the online
learning environment. Please use proper netiquette when interacting with class members
and the professor.

Policy on Server Unavailability or Other Technical Difficulties

Whenever you experience any difficulty with Moodle system, please wait for 10 – 15
minutes and try again. If the problem remains, please report it to Moodle administrator at
moodle@coastal.edu (843-349-2263) and notify the instructor of this. If students ever
experience with hard disk failure or virus attack, please contact ITS – Student Computing
Services and notify the instructor of this difficulty. The instructor and ITS – Student
Computing Services will work with the student to resolve any issues at the earliest possible
time.

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Time Management
An online course can take a considerable amount of time. For this reason, it is highly
recommended that you begin each assignment early. Work on it regularly over the week rather
than waiting until the last day or two. This will allow you to have the chance to work out
problems or get help if needed.

Participation
Depending on the class activities, you are responsible for completing weekly assignments,
participating in discussion groups, and checking in to the course site on a consistent basis.

Faculty Initiated Drop

Please be advised that if you do not “attend” class at least once during the first week, I will drop
you from class. Since this is an online course, this requirement means that you MUST be present
in our Moodle course site during the first week and participate in the first assignment—Self-
Introduction.

Deadlines
You will always be given explicit instructions on where to send your assignments. Assignments
are usually due on a weekly basis – the exact dates will always be found in the activities. If you
wish to complete an assignment prior to the due date, you may (however, a group assignment
must be completed during the week assigned OR upon approval of every member of the group).
NO LATE SUBMISSION WILL BE ACCEPTED. PLEASE BE AWARE OF THIS POLICY
AND SUBMIT YOUR WORK ON TIME. This policy will be strictly enforced in the summer
session due to the condensed schedule.

Turnaround Time
The instructor will be monitoring the discussion board on a daily basis. Submitted assignments
will be graded and feedback will be provided within 3 days after the module is concluded. E-
mail messages will be answered within 24 hours on weekdays and 48 hours on weekends.
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Academic Integrity
Under all circumstances, students are expected to be honest in their dealings with faculty,
administrative staff, and fellow students. In speaking and/or correspondence with members of the
college community, students must give an accurate representation of the facts at hand. Students
must submit work that fairly and accurately reflects their level of accomplishment. Any work
that is not a product of the student’s own effort is considered dishonest. Students may not submit
the same work for more than one course. A student may be suspended or expelled for academic
dishonesty. Please refer to the Student Handbook for additional information regarding the policy
on academic honesty.

Academic Integrity Code

(from the Student Code of Conduct, Section III,
http://www.coastal.edu/conduct/documents/codeofconduct.pdf)

Statement of Community Standards:

“Coastal Carolina University is an academic community that expects the highest standards of
honesty, integrity and personal responsibility.

As members of this community, we are accountable for our actions and are committed to
creating an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust.

Honor Pledge: (required of all entering CCU students)

On my honor, I pledge:

 That I will take responsibility for my personal behavior; and

 That I will actively oppose every instance of academic dishonesty as defined in the Code
of Student Conduct.

From this day forward, my signature on any University document, including tests, papers and
other work submitted for a grade is a confirmation of this honor pledge.”

Technical Supports
If you ever encounter any technology difficulties, please contact the following supports:
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 Moodle and WordPress (the instructor, clee@coastal.edu)

 General Computing Issues (ITS – Student Computing Services).

Academic Supports
 Kimbel library
 Learning Assistance Centers (The Foreign Language Instructional Center (FLIC),
Mathematics Learning Center, Writing Center, and Structured Learning Assistance)
 Counseling Services.

Thank you for abiding by the Course Policies.

9. Other Information

E-mail and Its Etiquette

Students must use their Coastal e-mail accounts for all correspondence with their professor. This
will help ensure that e-mails are secure and that Coastal staff can assist students with any e-mail
related technical problems. Coastal’s Student Computing Services (SCS) staff will not be able to
help resolve problems students may encounter with external e-mail services, such as Yahoo!
Mail, or Hotmail.

It is expected that all E-mail correspondence to the instructor will be conducted in a professional
manner. When utilizing E-mail for this class, you should:

1. include the course code, number, and section in the E-mail subject heading “EDIT
650.D1” for example,
2. address the recipient in an appropriate manner,
3. utilize proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation,
4. close with your full name.

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Computing Requirements
Required Hardware
To access e-learning courses, a multimedia-class computer (PC or Mac) with Internet
connectivity is required. The minimum system configurations required to view e-learning course
content are described below.

PC Macintosh

 500 MHz Pentium III  400 MHz G4

 Windows 2000  OS 9.1 (OS X recommended)
 128 MB RAM (512 MB  128 MB RAM (512 MB
recommended) recommended)
 1 GB free hard disk space  1 GB free hard disk space
 56K modem (broadband  56K modem (broadband
recommended) recommended)

Required Browser
Students must have an Internet browser installed on their computers to view and interact with
online courses. Mozilla Firefox, version 1.5 or better, is recommended. Please note that browsers
may need to be further optimized if courses utilizing multimedia require any browser plug-ins or
ancillary players.

Special Services
If you have any learning disabilities or are alternatively-abled in any manner, or if you feel you
need special accommodation, please contact the Office of Student Disabilities, located in the
Student Health-Counseling Center, 204 University Boulevard. For more information, call (843)
349-2307. Disabilities must be on record with the university in order for a student to be eligible
for special dispensation.

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Modification of the Syllabus and Schedule

The instructor reserves the right to modify the syllabus and schedule at any time. Notice of any
change will be E-mailed and posted as an announcement.

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