Campus ext. 7230
e-mail: cmess
Office extension: 7230
Office: Burnham 215
Office hours: M-F 9:00-11:00
or by appointment
Required texts:
W.T. Jones, A History of Western Philosophy:
Vol. III, Hobbes to Hume (2nd edition);
Vol. IV, Kant and the Nineteenth Century (2nd ed., revised)
Robert Cummins and David Owen, eds. Central Readings in the History of Modern Philosophy: Descartes to Kant
Nietzsche, Friedrich. The Gay Science
Project:
In this course, we will work through the history of Western thought from the early Renaissance to the late 19th century (Nietzsche). Among other issues, we will explore:
the features of "modern" philosophy which distinguish modern thought from previous philosophy;
the relationship between conceptions of being human and the resulting ethical/political systems;
the emergence and character of modern science and technology;
and the project and crisis of reason as developed from the Enlightenment through Kant, Hegel, Marx, and Nietzsche -- especially in light of contemporary critiques of the Enlightenment project (Frankfurt School Critical Theory, feminism, and postmodernism).
Your primary reading will be from Cummins/Owen, and then relying on Jones for overview, summary, and commentary; this reading will be supplemented with class lecture and discussion, as well as your work in the form of:
a) your exploration of a secondary source(s) in the history of philosophy, including contemporary critiques -- an exploration which will take formal shape as a philosophy journal or commonplace book. In this, I will look for:
i) summary notes on your secondary source(s); and
ii) comparison and contrast observations; and/or
iii) an in-class presentation of your work.
AND/OR
b) your exploration of a primary figure or theme via electronic resources -- ranging from hypertext documents (on David Hume) to various Internet/World Wide Web resources. As with "a" - I will look for this exploration to take formal shape as a journal, perhaps in electronic form, and/or as an in-class presentation of your research.
Grades will be based primarily on written assignments: these will be take-home exams - probably four during the semester - covering a given period. Written assignments will be graded both for quality of content and for correct English use and documentation.
There will be no final exam.
Grades will also be determined by in-class participation and the quality of your philosophy journal (including, if appropriate, any in-class presentation of your work).