Phil 261: The Philosophy of Mental Illness

Instructor: Prof. James (Jim) Sias

Monday & Thursday, 1:30–2:45am — Spring 2024

What is mental illness? In what sense, exactly, can a mind be “ill”? And what sorts of conditions
ought to count as mental illnesses? Beginning with these basic questions, this course will cover some of the
most interesting and controversial issues in the philosophy of psychiatry. Among the particular conditions
studied will be addiction, autism spectrum disorder, personality disorder, schizophrenia, and dementia.

Contact Information

Email: siasj@dickinson.edu Note:

Email is the best way to contact me, as
Office location: East College 206 I check it frequently most days. If I do
not reply to your email within 48 hours,
Office hours: Wednesday, 12–2:30pm; or by appt you should assume that it was never
received in my inbox. Try sending
another.
Office phone: (717) 245-1217

Course Texts

* No textbook. All readings will be posted online (see course website).

Assignments

Short writing assignments

Grade Distribution
There will be two short writing assignments (each 750–1,000 words).
15% Attendance & participation
Each will be on a topic of my choosing, and will require you to
15% 1st short writing assignment
briefly summarize and then respond critically to some issue raised
20% 2nd short writing assignment
by course readings and discussed in class. The second assignment is
30% Research paper
worth more (20% vs. 15%) in order to credit improved reading com-
20% Take-home final examination
prehension and writing. Detailed instructions for each assignment
will be posted to the course website.

Research paper
You have until April 15th to propose a research paper topic (though, in theory, you can do so at any time
during the semester before that day). After we meet to discuss the topic, and I approve the project, you’ll
have until the Friday of finals week (May 10th) to produce a 7-10 page research paper. I am happy to
review drafts and offer feedback before the final paper is due; but of course, this will be subject to con-
straints of time and availability. The research paper is worth 30% of your final grade in the course. Detailed
instructions will be posted to the course website.
Course Policies & Procedures

Attendance & Participation

While I do not take attendance at each class meeting, I do keep track Please note that your physical presence
of who attends regularly and who does not. I also keep track of the in the room during a class meeting does
frequency with which students participate in class discussion. Full not constitute “participation” in the
course.
credit (15%) is reserved for those students with perfect or near-perfect
attendance, and who regularly participate in class discussion. Students
who attend regularly, but rarely or never participate in class discussion,
will receive a grade of 10% or lower.

Academic Conduct & Integrity

Academic misconduct of any form will not be tolerated. All cases of Plagiarism is a form of cheating that
suspected academic misconduct will be reported to the College. This involves any kind of presentation of
includes plagiarism and other forms of cheating, as well as the re-use someone else’s ideas as your own. Students
should note that this includes more
of work submitted for credit in another course. And according to the than just direct quotation without
“Community Standards” page on Dickinson’s website, “The typical proper citation. See the “Community
sanction for academic misconduct is an F in the course and stayed Standards” page on Dickinson’s website
suspension.” If students have any questions about the standards for for descriptions of different forms of
academic conduct and integrity at Dickinson College, they are encour- plagiarism, as well as a list of examples
of other forms of academic misconduct.
aged either to consult with the professor or to review the college’s full
policies, which are available online.

Late work
Late work will be accepted without penalty only if the student can pro- For the record: New days are counted
vide compelling evidence that the tardiness is due to illness, hardship, from the end of class on the day the
or required attendance at a school-sponsored event. Students must assignment was due. So, for instance,
if an assignment is due in class on a
notify the professor (via email) as soon as they become aware of one Monday, and that class period ends
of these possible causes of tardiness. In all other cases – i.e., cases in at 2:45pm, the assignment will be
which a student’s work is late for reasons that are not recognized as considered one day late as of 2:46pm on
valid excuses – the student will be penalized one-third of a letter grade the same day.
for each day (including weekends) that the assignment is late – e.g.,
from a B+ to a B, then from a B to a B-, etc.

Accommodating Students with Disabilities

Dickinson values diverse types of learners and is committed to ensuring that each student is afforded equitable
access to participate in all learning experiences. If you have (or think you may have) a learning difference or a
disability – including a mental health, medical, or physical impairment – that would hinder your access to learn-
ing or demonstrating knowledge in this class, please contact Access and Disability Services (ADS). They will
confidentially explain the accommodation request process and the type of documentation that Dean and Direc-
tor Marni Jones will need to determine your eligibility for reasonable accommodations. To learn more about
available supports, go to www.dickinson.edu/access, email access@dickinson.edu, call (717)245-1734, or go to
ADS in Room 005 of Old West, Lower Level (aka “the OWLL”). If you’ve already been granted accommodations
at Dickinson, please let me know as soon as possible so that we can meet soon to review your Accommodation
Letter and complete your Blue Forms. If you will need test proctoring from ADS, remember that you will need to
provide them with at least one week’s notice.

2 of 3
Other notes of varied importance
• Courses at the 200- and 300-level will be taught in the seminar style (as opposed to the more traditional lecture
style). If you are unfamiliar, this means that class meetings will be heavily discussion-based, and there is a
correspondingly heightened expectation of student participation. And since enrollment in 200- and 300-level
courses is typically lower, a student’s lack of participation in class discussion will stand out even more than it
would in a lower-level course.
• On a related note: Class discussion will be mostly informal. Think of it like a twice-a-week book club meet-
ing. Obviously, the normal standards of respect and basic human decency still apply (rudeness of any kind
will not be tolerated). But, for instance, students need not raise their hands before participating.
• Noisy or otherwise distracting electronic devices are not to be used in class. This applies especially to cell
phones. Computers are allowed, but if your use of a computer becomes a distraction to anyone, you’ll be told
to put it away or leave the classroom.

3 of 3