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Spring 2005 Prerequisite: None for Phil 331; Admission to the Honors Program for Phil 481The difference between 331 and 481 is that the 481 students will be required to do a classroom presentation and a term paper. All other work will be identical for 331 and 481 students. Required texts (the links take you to Amazon.com where you may find some used copies available at reasonable prices)Modern Philosophy an anthology of primary sources, edited by Roger Ariew and Eric Watkins (Indianapolis, Indiana: Hackett Publishing Company, 1998) (ISBN 0-87220-440-5) AND Bacon
to Kant : An Introduction to Modern Philosophy 2nd. ed Online bookstores you might try: Amazon.com, VarsityBooks.com, Textbookhound, Ecampus, Textbooks.com Course Description and Outline Philosophy 331 and 481 is a course in the history of modern philosophy (roughly the 17th and 18th centuries). The course features readings and discussions mostly of the major philosophers during this period: Hobbes, Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant. There will be some discussion of "minor" philosophers such as Bacon, Galileo, Gassendi, Boyle, and Newton. (Obviously, Galileo, Boyle, and Newton were not minor scientists!) My Philosophy Links Web site has a long list of philosophical texts and articles that are available on the Internet. http://scc.losrios.edu/~carrolb/philos.html
There are several components. They are not equally weighted (1) classroom discussions (20%); (2) a journal of study questions and answers (50%); and (3) a comprehensive final examination (30%). Course Requirements 481 There are several components. They are not equally weighted (1) class discussions (10%); (2) a class presentation on a section of a philosophical text (10%); (3) a term paper comparing at least two philosophers on at least one philosophical concept (20%); (4) a journal of study questions and answers (50%); and (5) a comprehensive final examination (10%). Journal I will give you study questions for each reading. You will write your responses to the questions in a loose-leaf journal and will turn in your work at the beginning of each class. The journal will help you focus your reading, come to class prepared for discussion, and be a study guide as you prepare for the comprehensive final exam. Class discussions We meet twice a week, mainly to discuss a section of a philosophical text and its connection to the work of the author and to the work of other philosophers. Journal questions will form the basis for most discussions. Class presentations for Phil 481 students Each 481 student will give a presentation to the class on a section of a philosophical text. The presentations will be followed by a question and discussion period and should last about 30 minutes. Term paper for 481 students The term paper topic will be selected by the student from a list of suggested topics to be provided by the instructor. The topics will involve comparing at least once philosophical concept (such as 'causality', ‘free will,’ ‘final causes,’ 'God,' or 'substance') as treated by at least two of the philosophers we will be reading. The student may develop his or her own topic in consultation with me. The paper will be 2,000-3,000 words in length (8-12 pages, typed and double-spaced).
Final examination There will be a comprehensive final examination. At least one week prior to the exam, students will be provided with the questions that will be on the exam. This will give the student the experience of a comprehensive exam without the anxiety that comes from inexperience in preparing for such exams and should provide the student with valuable experience for upper division college courses. The exam will be taken in class during the final exam period, however, without books or notes. A note on plagiarism for those doing a term paper Plagiarism is the attempt to pass off work done by others as if it were your own. Original work done by others may be cited in your work, but it must be appropriately credited. If you are in doubt as to how to give proper credit to a source, consult a standard term paper style manual such as How to write a term paper by Cynthia Keyworth (New York : Arco Pub., 1982) or How to Write a Term Paper (A Speak Out, Write On! Book) by Nancy Everhart (Franklin Watts, 1995).
History of Modern Philosophy – Overview René Descartes (1596-1650) to Immanuel Kant (1724-1804). In addition to Descartes and Kant, we will be reading parts of the works of Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), Benedict (Baruch) Spinoza (1632-1677), Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), John Locke (1632-1704), George Berkeley (1685-1753), and David Hume (1711-1776).
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