Philosophy 306     
Modern Philosophy: 18^th Century

Course Syllabus   Spring 2009

T. Gracyk    

Office: Bridges 359B      Office:  477-4089    

Office hours:    MW 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Tuesdays 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

                      & by appointment

REQUIRED TEXTS:

• A Treatise concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge
  By George Berkeley, edited by Kenneth Winkler (paperback) Hackett Publishing

• An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding
  By David Hume, edited by Eric Steinberg (paperback, 2nd edition) Hackett Publishing

• Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics  2nd edition
  By Immanuel Kant, Translated by James W. Ellington
  (paperback) Hackett Publishing

I do not care which editions of these works you use. Just be aware that you make it harder on yourself if you choose not to purchase these editions.

There are many free, online editions of these works. For Berkeley, go here. For Hume, go both here (Enquiry) and here (Abstract). For Kant, go here or here.

SIX ARGUMENT SUMMARIES

Philosophers argue and analyze arguments. You will present, as a set of premises (and not in paragraph form), 6 distinct arguments that I have identified for you. Each argument summary is to be typed or very neatly printed. Limit each summary to one side of a standard sheet of paper. (It may not take that much space: that’s the limit on length.) 

The purpose of this assignment is to get you to give extended attention to some important arguments before we discuss them in class. SAMPLE ASSIGNMENT HERE.

• Assignment #1  ~ Due Jan 15
  Do an argument analysis of Berkeley's Treatise, paragraphs 25 & 26. 
• Assignment #2 ~ Due Feb. 10
  Do an argument analysis of Hume's Enquiry, paragraphs 5 and 6 of Section II.
  You will be covering the first of "the two following arguments." Try to capture the overall argument.
• Assignment #3 ~ Due March 3
  Do an argument analysis of Hume's Enquiry, the last paragraph of Part I of Section VIII
• Assignment #4 ~ Due April 14 (new date!)
  Do an argument analysis of Kant's Prolegomena, first paragraph of section 30
• Assignment #5 ~ Due April 16 (new date!)
  Do an argument analysis of Kant's Prolegomena, Second Part, section 33. Do NOT try to fit everything in those two paragraphs into your argument analysis. Try to capture the overall argument of the section.
• Assignment #6 ~ Due April 23
  Do an argument analysis of Kant's Prolegomena, Third Part, section 49. Do NOT try to fit everything into your argument analysis. Try to capture the overall argument of the section.

REAL QUESTIONS

You must submit one "real question" at the start of each class session.

Real Questions should reflect that you are thoughtful about the material assigned on the syllabus. Above all, they are questions to which you genuinely do not know the answer, about something that really puzzles you. Please follow the guidelines below when you write your questions:

• Provide some clear indication of where the question arises in the text (e.g., page number and short quotation).

• Do NOT ask questions that call for biographical information

• or that you could answer if you consulted a dictionary

• or that you could answer if you checked the text again

• or that are simplistic and could be answered by actually reading the work carefully.

TAKE-HOME EXAMS

 For each exam, I will hand out a set of questions. You will answer two. Further instructions will be provided with the exam questions.

FINAL EXAM

A question will be assigned to you. The questions are posted here.

COURSE PARTICIPATION

I expect each student to read the assigned material before we discuss it in class. Each student will have read it, reflected on it, and will be prepared to talk about it. Students who meet these expectations will be rewarded if their final grade is in any way borderline.

LATE POLICY

If you submit your work the day after it is due, it loses half its total grade on a 4.0 scale. The next day, it can do no better than a grade of D (1.0 on a 4.0 scale). After that, it receives a grade of F.

There is no make-up work. There is no extra-credit work.

EXTENSIONS ON DUE DATES

If you anticipate that you cannot complete required work by its assigned deadline, you must contact me in advance and ask for an extension on its due date. Extensions of one day are automatically granted if the request is made (via written note, voice mail, or email) at least one day before the assigned due date. Extensions exceeding one day require that you talk to me personally about your situation so that we can negotiate a reasonable extension.
EXCEPTION: There are no extensions on daily questions & the six argument summaries.

EXPECTATIONS ABOUT STUDENT WORK

This is an upper level course. I will enforce the University's policies on student conduct. I expect all essays to conform to recognized standards of presentation, originality, and documentation of sources. For more information, click here.

COURSE READING SCHEDULE

Week 1 (Jan. 13 & 15)
Berkeley -- Read Berkeley's "Introduction" and then Paragraphs 1 - 33.
You would profit from reading Winkler's Editor's Introduction.

Week 2  (Jan. 20 & 22)
Berkeley -- Read the remainder of Berkeley's Treatise

Week 3 (Jan. 27 & 29)
Berkeley -- Discussion of Berkeley continues

Week 4 (Feb. 3 & 5)
Berkeley -- Discussion of Berkeley concludes

Week 5 (Feb. 10 & 12)
Hume -- Read "Abstract of a Treatise of Human Nature"
and Sections II and III of Hume's Enquiry. 

Week 6 (Feb. 17 & 19)
Hume -- Read Sections IV and V.
You would profit from re-reading the "Abstract"

Week 7 (Feb. 24 & 26)
Hume -- Read Section VI.

Week 8 (March 3 & 5)
Hume -- Read Sections VII, VIII, IX

Week 9 (March 10 & 12)
Hume -- Read Sections X, XI, XII

SPRING BREAK IS MARCH 16-20

March 24 through April 2 -- Classes cancelled due to flood.

Week of April 7 and 9
Kant -- Kant -- Read Kant's "Preface," his "Preamble" to the Prolegomena and the "First Part of the Main Transcendental Question"

Week of April 14 and 16
Kant -- Read Kant's "Second Part of the Main Transcendental Question"

Week of April 21 and 23) (There is class on Tuesday, April 21: Student Academic Conference)
Kant  -- Read Kant's "Third Part of the Main Transcendental Question"

Week of May 5 and 7
Kant -- Read Kant's "Conclusion" and his "Solution"

Final Exam for PHIL 306 is at noon on Thursday, May 14  (new date!)