PHL 234: Philosophy and Modern Society



PHIL 2702 History of Modern PhilosophyPeter Gratton, PhD Winter 2017Class Time, Location: T/R, 1400-1515, A 2071Office Hours: Tuesday 1:00-2:00 pm; 3:15-7:00pm and by appointmentCourse web site: e-mail: pmgratton@?This course takes up what is denoted as “modern philosophy,” which as many of you know is not “modern” in the sense of contemporary, but a particular “period” dating, based upon whom you speak to, from about the 16th to the late 18th century. In the first class, I will discuss what I think is meant by the term modernity, why this is important for understanding in the contemporary period so much of what we think about ourselves, society, and the world, but also why philosophers mark a shift happening at a particular time such that they can mark a before and after that they dub “modernity.” You will see in the syllabus below that we cover the more or less “canonical” figures of “modern philosophy”: Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Hume, and Kant, among others. This leaves out much and I don’t think philosophy is a simple handing off of a baton or set of ideas from one philosopher to the next, all in the race to get to some correct representation of the world and our place in it. Each philosopher is formed in his or her milieu, writing not just as philosophers but while reacting to societal forces informing and forming them. There is no philosophical dialogue that is ahistorical and we will never read them in such a way, even if Descartes’ cogito is indeed said to be outside of history, just as Leibniz’s monads literally have no time for themselves. This is an exciting moment or sets of moments in the history of thought and the metaphysical daring of these thinkers cannot be overstated. I have, for the most part, left aside their explicitly political writings, though these are important to me and were even more important to them. There are multiple reasons for this: time is not on our side in reading through a vast literature this semester, but it’s also the case that we must understand what is meant by these figures’ works on epistemology and ontology, since that is how they will be referenced in most courses you take in our department. In addition, you will notice that one strand or several strands of reading these philosophers is emphasized, notable feminist and intersectionalist (particularly race) readings. Let me state it explicitly so it’s clear from the very beginning: these are not “rejectionist” readings of these philosophers and each in turn are as erudite and textually based as you will find in the most standard readings. There is this idea that a “feminist” reading is somehow less “objective” or is more slanted than those types of readings: it won’t take long for you to see this is not the case. My reasons for including this manner of reading is so as not to deny the historical milieu in which these figures were writing and to consider how it affected their most metaphysical and epistemological of writings. Moreover, you will see that these readings do not reject Descartes et al. on feminist grounds, but take them up carefully and often show hidden resources for thinking so-called “feminist” concerns. But this is not a course in feminism, but rather one that shows the different ways of reading these texts, highlighting implicit assumptions, places their thought can be brought in the contemporary age, and so on—in short, less “feminist” than just good critical thinking and engagement, as any philosophy course should do. To help you in this engagement, I have spent much time curating a set of secondary courses (podcasts, book chapters, and articles) that I believe will help you beyond my lectures make sense of often difficult material. This will be an exciting dive into some of the most important figures our tradition offers—I look forward to it.Please note: the syllabus may change due to various circumstances, including canceled classes due to inclement weather, or a choice to continue to focus on one or more philosopher. The website should be consulted continuously for the most current assignment and evaluation dates.RequirementsReading: You must read the assigned texts prior to class and it is highly recommended that you read any philosophical texts at least twice. Given the breadth of any survey course, but especially one in philosophy and literature, it will be important for you to keep up with the readings and bring to class any questions you have about the text(s). Use a dictionary to look up words that you don’t understand, and come to class with any questions you have. This is a work-intensive class, as you will see below. You should do your best to keep up with the readings and homework assignments from the beginning, since it will be difficult, if not impossible, to catch up later on. The readings, as you will see, speed up when we do works of literature. Be sure to take notes on major themes and characters and you should be fine. (Please note that at least one of these works takes up mature themes and situations. I will provide you page numbers to skip in case this should be a problem for any of you.)Class Participation (10%): You will be expected to attend each class having read the relevant materials and able to comment upon them to other members of the class. Your participation grade will be assessed with the following in mind: (1) attendance (no more than three absences during the semester, no exceptions) and (2) level and quality of participation. If you are shy, you will need to get over this rather early in the class, given the importance of class participation in your overall grade. If you suffer from any disabilities, such as a social phobia and/or a physical or mental condition, which you believe may impede your progress and participation in the course, either with regard to the class itself or quizzes and exams, please let me know as soon as possible. I have worked with students with special circumstances before and I will be glad to do so again to make this classroom as inclusive as possible. One should also seek out the services of the Blundon Center, which has proved very useful to many students with all kinds of different ways of learning.Exegetical Papers and Quizzes (50%):There will be two short exegetical papers (4 pages, double-spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman font) as well as four quizzes during the semester to make sure you are keeping up and mastering the material.Final Examination (40%):This paper will be analytical in nature, taking up and examining in detail themes arising from the texts in the course, though there should little, if any, overlap with the exegetical paper. The exam will have three parts and will look to cover the entirety of the semester.Late Policies For Fewer Than Five DaysA student who is prevented from completing part of the course evaluation due to illness or medical condition(s) of less than five calendar days’ duration may apply for an alternate evaluation of a similar nature. This requires declaring to the relevant instructor that the student has experienced such an illness or medical condition. The declaration should be made via telephone or in writing through the student’s @mun.ca e-mail account. The declaration should be made in advance of the original date on which an in-class part of the evaluation is to be held or a take-home part of the evaluation is due, wherever possible, but no later than 48 hours after the original date of the part of the evaluation. If the declaration is made by telephone, written confirmation must then be received by the relevant instructor within seven calendar days of the original date of the part of the evaluation. For Five Days or MoreA student who is prevented from completing a part of the evaluation by illness of at least five calendar days’ duration, bereavement or other acceptable cause, duly authenticated in writing, may apply for an alternate evaluation, normally of a similar nature. This application should be made in advance of the original date on which an in-class part of the evaluation is to be held or a take-home part of the evaluation is due, wherever possible, but no later than 48 hours after the original date of the part of the evaluation. If application is made by telephone, written confirmation must then be received by the head of the appropriate academic unit within seven calendar days of the original date of the part of the evaluation. The following supporting documentation is required: For illness or medical conditions, medical documentation from a health professional is required. Students should provide the health professional with a copy of the Student Medical Certificate (mun.ca/regoff/STUDENT_MEDICAL_CERTIFICATE.pdf)For bereavement or other acceptable cause, official documents or letters that support the reason for the request (e.g. death certificate, letter from employer, etc.) are required. Book ordered:Roger Ariew and Eric Watkins (eds.), Modern Philosophy: An Anthology of Primary Sources, 2nd Edition?2nd Edition (New York: Hackett Publishing, 2002), ISBN: 978-0872209787Further resources and texts to be found on the course website.READING SCHEDULE AND RESOURCESThursday, January?4Introduction to Modern Philosophy.Tuesday, January 9Skepticism and the Advent of Modernity:Montaigne, course anthology, Montaigne,?Apology for Raymond Sebond, "The Senses Are Inadequate,” 4-15Bacon, course anthology, New Organon, 16-20Recommended:BBC,?In our Time, "Montaigne"?(podcast)BBC,?In our Time, "Francis Bacon" (podcast)Thursday, January 11Descartes, course anthology, Discourse on Method, 25-34Descartes, course anthology, Meditations on First Philosophy, 1st Meditation.Also suggested:Philosophy Bites,?“A.C. Grayling on Descartes’ Cogito” (podcast)BBC,?In Our Times,?“Mind/Body Problem” (podcast)Gary Hatfield,?Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, "Descartes"Peter Markie, "The Cogito and its Importance,"?Cambridge Companion to Descartes, ed. J. Cottingham (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005).Tuesday, January 16Descartes, course anthology, Meditation 2-3.Also Assigned:Jean-Marie Beyysasde, "The Idea of God and the Proofs of His Existence,"?Cambridge Companion to Descartes.Thursday, January 18Brie Gertler, “Can Feminists be Cartesian?” Dialogue XLI (2002): 91-112.Andrea Nye, Feminism and Modern Philosophy: An Introduction (London: Routledge, 2004), ch. 2.Quiz 1 (short answer, multiple choice, 5 pts.)Tuesday, January?23Hobbes, course anthology, Leviathan, 114-126.Also Assigned:Steward Duncan,?Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Hobbes" (esp. sections 3-4)Thursday, January?25Spinoza, Ethics, Part I.Recommended:BBC,?In Our Times,?"Spinoza " (podcast)?Steven Nadler, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy,?“Spinoza”?Beth Lord, "Spinoza" (youtube)Andreas Schmitt, "Substance Monism and Identity Theory in Spinoza,"?Cambridge Companion to Spinoza's Ethics, ed.?Olli Koistinen?(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009).Tuesday, January 30Spinoza, Ethics, Part IIRecommended:Genevieve Lloyd, Routledge Philosophy GuideBook to Spinoza and the Ethics, ch. 1-2? (London: Routledge, 1996).Thursday, February 1Spinoza, Ethics, Part VQuiz 2:?short answer and multiple choice (5 pts)Recommended:Genevieve Lloyd, Routledge Philosophy GuideBook to Spinoza and the Ethics, ch. 3, 5?(London: Routledge, 1996).Tuesday, February 6Hasana Sharp, Spinoza and the Politics of Renaturalization?(Chicago, IL: University Of Chicago Press, 2011), ch. 5 and 6.Thursday,?February 8Leibniz, course anthology, Discourse on Metaphysics, 224-247.Recommended:?Partially Examined Life, "Leibniz's?Monadology and What There is" (podcast)Douglas Burnham,?Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, "Leibniz"Tuesday,?February 13Leibniz, course anthology, System on Nature; Monadology, 269-283.Paper 1 Due: In this paper you will write four pages on the difference between Cartesian dualism and Spinoza's parallelism. What are their different conceptions of substance and how to they come to impact these different ways of looking at these two different means of thinking the world. (15 pts)Thursday, February 15Catch-up day.Tuesday, February?20Winter BreakThursday, February?22Winter BreakTuesday, February?27Locke,?Essay Concerning Human Understanding?I.1–2, II.1–14.Recommended:BBC In Our Time, "Empiricism" (podcast)Roger Woolhouse, "Locke's Theory of Knowledge,"?Cambridge Companion to Locke (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996).Matthew Priselac, "Locke: Knowledge of the External World,"?Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.Tuesday, March 1Locke, Essay Concerning Human Understanding, II.21–3, 27, III.3, 6.Thursday,?March 6Locke, Essay Concerning Human Understanding, IV.1–4, 10–1, 15–6Tuesday,?March 11Andrea Nye, Feminism and Modern Philosophy: An Introduction (London: Routledge, 2004), ch. 1, 3.Quiz 3:?Short answer and multiple choice (5 pts.)Tuesday,?March 13Hume, course anthology,?Treatise On Human Nature, I. 4.5–6Hume,?course anthology,?An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, 533-550Recommended:David F. Norton, "An Introduction to Hume's Thought,"?Cambridge Companion to Hume, 2nd Ed.?(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009).Robert Fogelin, "Hume's Skepticism,"?Cambridge Companion.Philosophy Now, "Impressions of David Hume" (podcast)BBC In Our Time, "David Hume" (podcast)Thursday,?March 15??? Hume,?course anthology,?An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, 550-590Tuesday,?March 20Hume,?course anthology,?An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, 590-600Andrea Nye, Feminism and Modern Philosophy: An Introduction (London: Routledge, 2004), ch. 6.Thursday, March 22Kant,?course anthology,?Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics, intro, pt. 1.Paper 2:?In this paper you will discuss the distinctions you find between Hume and Locke's forms of empiricism. (15 pts.)Tuesday, March 27Kant,?course anthology,?Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics, pt. 2Thursday, March 29Kant,?course anthology,?Critique of Pure Reason, abridgedTuesday, April 3Kant,course anthology,??Critique of Pure Reason, abridgedThursday, April 5Andrea Nye, Feminism and Modern Philosophy: An Introduction (London: Routledge, 2004), ch. 7, 8.Quiz 4: short answer and multiple choice (5 pts.)Final Exam: Time/Date TBA ................
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