Photo: Colleen Hayes / NBC.
You initially have 3 philosopher’s stones to use during this course. Based on your performance on the modules and unit exams, you will earn even more philosopher’s stones. You may then exchange your philosopher’s stones to unleash special philosophical powers!
Earning Philosopher’s Stones
You will earn additional philosopher’s stones based on the philosophy experience points you earn for each module (that is, the sum total of points you earn from that module’s social annotations and quizzes):
| Points Earned for a Single Module | Stones Earned | |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 119 | 0 | |
| 120 to 139 | 0.025 | |
| 140 to 159 | 0.05 | |
| 160 to 179 | 0.075 | |
| 180 or higher | 0.1 |
Please note that any philosophy experience points earned through the Decipher Script and Borrow Knowledge powers do not count towards earning new philosopher’s stones. In addition, stones are not earned from Module 0 and/or any of the supplemental modules.
You will also earn additional philosopher’s stones based the philosophy experience points you earn on each unit exam:
| Points Earned on a Single Unit Exam | Stones Earned | |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 399 | 0 | |
| 400 to 549 | 0.25 | |
| 550 to 699 | 0.5 | |
| 700 to 849 | 0.75 | |
| 850 or higher | 1 |
Please note that any philosophy experience points earned through the Reverse Time power do not count towards earning new philosopher’s stones.
You use your philosopher’s stones by filling out an online Google Form. Once you have submitted this form, you will receive an email receipt. This receipt is official approval, so once you receive it, go ahead and do the thing you used the philosopher’s stones on. (I will contact you if there is an issue with your request.)
Using Philosopher’s Stones
As you earn philosopher’s stones, you may exchange them to unleash special philosophical powers!
Time Stop (M)
Cost: 1 philosopher’s stone.Area of Effect: 1 module.
Duration: Up to 48 hours.
You select 1 module and give up 1 philosopher’s stone. You then gain an extra 48-hour extension for completing that module’s social annotations and quizzes. Please note that this is in addition to the automatic, additional 24-hour grace period.
If you have enough stones, you may use this power multiple times for additional 48-hour extensions on the same module.
Please note that this cannot be used on any of the supplemental modules. Those modules must be completed before the grace period ends.
Time Stop (E)
Cost: 1 philosopher’s stone.Area of Effect: 1 unit exam.
Duration: Up to 6 hours.
You select 1 unit exam and give up 1 philosopher’s stone. You then gain an extra 6-hour extension for completing that exam. Please note that this is in addition to the automatic, additional 24-hour grace period.
If you have enough stones, you may use this power multiple times for additional 6-hour extensions on the same unit exam.
Decipher Script
Cost: 2 philosopher’s stones.Area of Effect: All the social annotations for 1 module.
Duration: Instantaneous.
You select 1 module and give up 2 philosopher’s stones. You then gain the full 100 philosophy experience points for all that module’s social annotations.
Please note that this does not give you the points for the social annotations in Module 0 and/or any of the supplemental modules. Those points must be earned by actually making those annotations.
You may do Decipher Script at any time during the semester. For example, in week 12 you may use your stones on the social annotations for module 3.
Borrowed Knowledge
Cost: 2 philosopher’s stones.Area of Effect: All the quizzes for 1 module.
Duration: Instantaneous.
You select 1 module and give up 2 philosopher’s stones. You then gain the full 100 philosophy experience points for all that module’s quizzes.
Please note that this does not give you the points for the quizzes in Module 0 and/or any of the supplemental modules. Those points must be earned by actually completing those quizzes.
You may do Borrowed Knowledge at any time during the semester. For example, in week 10 you may use your stones on the quizzes from module 2.
Reverse Time
Cost: 6 philosopher’s stones.Area of Effect: 1 unit exam.
Duration: Up to 1 week.
You select 1 unit exam and give up 6 philosopher’s stones. You then have up to 1 week—from when it was graded—to redo that entire exam. (This includes a unit exam that you missed, skipped, or otherwise did not complete.) The points you earn on this second attempt—regardless of whether that new number of points is higher or lower than your original number—will completely replace the points you earned on your first attempt.
Reverse Time may only be done once for any given unit exam.
Finally, for each philosopher’s stone that you do not use by the end of the course, you will earn 20 philosophy experience points.
So use your philosopher’s stones wisely!