(Philosophy 142)
Winter 2009
Tuesday, Thursday 10:10 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. (Section 1)
du Pont 102
Tuesday, Thursday 12:20 p.m. - 2:20 p.m. (Section 2)
Reid 111
Contact information:
Professor James E. Mahon
210 Baker Hall
458.8051
mahonj@wlu.edu
Office Hours: Tu, W 2:30-4:30 p.m., and by appointment.
Required Texts:
· Readings in Modern Philosophy, Volume I: Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz and Associated Texts, eds. Roger Ariew and Eric Watkins (Indianapolis: Hackett, 2000)
· Readings in Modern Philosophy, Volume II: Locke, Berkeley, Hume and Associated Texts, eds. Roger Ariew and Eric Watkins (Indianapolis: Hackett, 2000)
· Georges Dicker, Descartes: An Analytical and Historical Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993)
· Georges Dicker, Hume's Epistemology and Metaphysics: An Introduction (NY: Routledge, 1998)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
An examination of the metaphysics, epistemology, and philosophy of religion of the rationalist philosophers René Descartes, Baruch Spinoza, and Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz and the empiricist philosophers John Locke, George Berkeley, and David Hume. Topics include skepticism about the external world, the mind-body problem, the existence and nature of God, theories of substance, free will and determinism, and personal identity.
PARTICIPATION
Students are required to attend all classes on time and attendance will be taken. If for any reason you believe that you will be unable to attend to attend a class, or if for any reason you miss a class, notify me and arrange to meet with me to determine what work needs to be done to make up for missing the class. Failure to do this may result in a failing grade for Participation, and may also result in a failing grade overall.
Material to be read for the subsequent class will be assigned in the previous class. The assigned reading will follow the Class Schedule (see below). Students are required to do all of the assigned reading before class. Students will be asked questions on the day's reading and will be expected to spontaneously contribute to the class discussions. Students may also discuss readings with me outside of class by e-mailing me or by meeting me during office hours or by scheduling a meeting. All participation in class discussion and outside-of-class discussion counts towards the Participation grade.
CLASS ASSIGNMENTS
In order to help students develop their critical reading skills, and as a way of focusing class discussion, students may be asked to write a one-page assignment for class, unless it is a week in which a paper is due. The assignment will take the form of an answer to a question about the reading. These assignments will be awarded an individual grade. At the end of the course an overall Assignment grade will be awarded.
PAPERS
This course aims to teach students how to write a philosophy paper if they have not already learned how to do so. Before the first paper, students will be given instructions on how to write a philosophy paper. They will also be required to read the Guide to Writing A Philosophy Paper. All students are encouraged to schedule a meeting with me about their papers, and especially those who have not written a philosophy paper before and/or have not written one for me before.
Students will have to write THREE six-page papers for this course. Papers must be typed (double-spaced) and stapled. More guidelines (about the correct citing of sources, and so forth) will be given when the first paper is assigned and will follow the guidelines of the Guide to Writing A Philosophy Paper. Note that everything in the Guide is to be understood as a supplement to the Honor System guidelines that apply perforce to the writing of papers.
The due dates for the papers are given in the Class Schedule (see below). Papers will be assigned a week and a half before the due date. Each paper will be awarded an individual grade. At the end of the course an overall Paper grade will be awarded.
EXAMINATION
There will be a three-hour examination in this course, which may be taken any day during the examination week. The examination will range over the entire course. More details about the final examination will be given in the final week of class.
BREAKDOWN OF COURSE GRADE
Paper Grade 50 %
Examination Grade 30 %
Class Assignment Grade 10 %
Participation Grade 10 %
CLASS SCHEDULE
JANUARY
6 Descartes, Descartes, Introduction, p. 1-3; Letter, Preface and Synopsis,
p. 22-27; Meditations I, p. 27-30
8 Descartes, Meditations II, p. 30-34; Dicker, Descartes, p. 3-72
13 Descartes, Meditations III, p. 34-41; Dicker, Descartes, p. 73-146
15 Descartes, Meditations IV, p. 41-45
20 Descartes, Meditations V, p. 45-48; Dicker, Descartes, p. 147-176
22 Descartes, Meditations VI, p. 48-55; Dicker, Descartes, p. 177-234
27 Spinoza, Introduction, p. 126-127; Ethics I, p. 158-178
29 Spinoza, Ethics II, p. 178-201 1st Paper Due
FEBRUARY
3 Spinoza, Ethics II
5 Leibniz, Introduction, p. 210-212; Discourse, p. 234-258;
10 Leibniz, Monadology, p. 285-294
12 Leibniz, Monadology; Review of Rationalists
[ No Class – Washington Break ]
24 Locke, Introduction, p. 1-2; Essay Bks. I and II, p. 11-34
26 Locke, Essay Bk. II, p. 34-53
MARCH
4 Locke, Essay Bk. II, p. 53-70
6 Locke, Essay Bk. II, p. 53-70
11 Locke, Essay Bk. III and IV, p. 70-98
13 Berkeley, Introduction, p. 127-129; Principles, p. 130-153 2nd Paper Due
18 Berkeley, Principles, p. 153-174
20 Berkeley, Dialogues, p. 175-195
25 Hume, Introduction, p. 229-231; Treatise, p. 237-250; Dicker, Hume, 1-60
27 Hume, Treatise, p. 250-292; Dicker, Hume, 61-132
APRIL
1 Hume, Treatise, p. 292-327; Dicker, Hume, 154-194
3 Review of Empiricists
3-7 Examination 3rd Paper Due