Syllabus for Philosophy 329 Philosophy of the Enlightenment
Philosophy of the Enlightenment
PHIL 329 - DR. KEITH A. KORCZHow To Reach Professor Keith Korcz:
My office is in H. L. Griffin Hall, rm. 563. My office hours are MW 2:00-3:30, TTh 12:15-2:00 and 3:15-4:00 and F 2:00-4:00. We can also meet at other times by arrangement - just ask. My office phone no. is 482-6806. You can also contact me (or ask questions) by e-mail at keithk@louisiana.edu.Required Texts:
1. Course Pack
2. Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy by Rene Descartes (Fourth Ed., tr. by Donald Cress, Hackett)
3. Man A Machine and Man A Plant by Julien de La Mettrie (intro. by Justin Leiber, Hackett)
4. A Treatise Of Human Nature by David Hume (Second ed. edited by P. H. Nidditch, Oxford University Press).
5. Inquiry and Essays by Thomas Reid (ed. by Ronald Beanblossom and Keith Lehrer, Hackett)
A copy of the course pack is on reserve at the Dupre library. The texts are available at Follett's and the University bookstore.
Assignments & Grading:
There will be one midterm worth 30% of your course grade, and a cumulative final exam worth 30% of your course grade. The in-class exams will consist primarily of short answer and multiple choice questions. However, all make-up exams will be primarily long-essay. The exams will cover both lectures and assigned readings (material in lectures and assigned readings will not always overlap). All exams are closed book/closed note.
There will also be a paper assignment to be completed in two drafts. The first draft is worth 10% of your course grade and the final draft worth 30%. The paper should be approx. 8 pages in length, and will be described in more detail on a separate handout.
The course grades will initially be determined according to the standard scale, i.e., 90-100% = A, 80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, 60-69% = D, 59% and below = F, and then may be modified as follows: Course grades might be curved, but, if so, the curve would not be such that any student's grade is lowered. Such factors as improvement over the length of the course, class participation, attendance, etc., may be taken into consideration, especially where doing so may improve a borderline grade. You must complete all course assignments (namely all four exams and both drafts of the paper) to receive a passing grade (i.e., a grade other than F, NC or U).Class Policies:
If you miss class, for whatever reason, it is your responsibility to get class notes from another student. Missed exams or other assignments can be made up only if an appropriate excuse, e.g., illness requiring medical attention, participation in certain official university events, etc., is provided. If you know in advance that you will miss an exam or due date for an assignment, let me know beforehand. An unexcused late assignment will be dropped 2/3 of a letter grade per day it is late. If you have a disability and require assistance with fulfilling class assignments, don't hesitate to notify the instructor and the Office for Services to Students with Disabilities at 482-5252. Finally, be sure you are familiar with all university policies described in the Undergraduate Bulletin. All assignments for this class must be completed individually, and any instance of academic dishonesty on any assignment will be sufficient to fail the course.Emergency Evacuation Procedures:
A map of this floor is posted near the elevator marking the evacuation route and the Designated Rescue Area. This is an area where emergency service personnel will go first to look for individuals who need assistance in exiting the building. Students who may need assistance should identify themselves to the teaching faculty.Course Calendar & Planned Reading Assignments*
(CP) = Course Pack
(DM) = Discourse and Meditations
(MM) = Man A Machine
(TT) = Treatise Of Human Nature
(IE) = Inquiry and EssaysTopic 1: Scholasticism and Enlightenment
Jan. 13, Week of Jan. 17: (CP): "What Is Philosophy?" by Keith Korcz, "Descartes and Scholasticism" by Roger Ariew, "What Is Enlightenment?" by Immanuel Kant.MONDAY, JANUARY 17: MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY, NO CLASSES
Topic 2: Descartes' Rationalism
a. Descartes
Weeks of 24 and 31: (DM): Editor's Preface (p. vii-ix), Parts 1-4 of the Discourse on Method (p. 1-22), Meditations I - III (p. 59-81).
b. Objections to Descartes
Week of Feb. 7: (CP): "Correspondence with Princess Elisabeth of Bohemia" by Descartes and Princess Elisabeth, "Second Set of Objections" by Marin Mersenne, excerpt from "Author's Replies to the Second Set of Objections" by Descartes.Topic 3: Materialism
Week of Feb. 14:
a. La Mettrie
(MM): "Introduction" (p. 1-15), "Preface by the Printer" (p. 18-19), "Man A Machine" (p. 27-76).
b. Priestley
(CP): "Letter to Dr. Joseph Priestley" by Thomas Jefferson, "Materialism" by Joseph Priestley.Topic 4: Hume's Skeptical Empiricism
Week of Feb. 21:
a. The Life and Times Of David Hume
(CP): "Letter to Benjamin Franklin" by David Hume.
b. Humean Psychology
(TT) Book I, Part I (p. 1-25).
Week of Feb. 28:
b. Time & Space
(TT): Book I, Part II (p. 26-68)THURSDAY, MARCH 2: MIDTERM EXAM.
MARDI GRAS - MARCH 6-8 - NO CLASSES - MAY ALL YOUR BEADS BE BIG!
March 9, Week of March 13:
c. Causation
(TT): Book I, Part III (p. 69-179)
Week of March 20:
d. Skepticism
(TT): Book I, Part IV (p. 180-218 and p. 232-274).THURSDAY, MARCH 23: FIRST DRAFT OF PAPER DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS.
Topic 5: Thomas Reid's Common-Sense Empiricism
Week of March 27:
a. Overview
(IE): p. 3-12.
b. Philosophy and Linguistic Error
(IE): p. 129-159
Weeks of April 3 and 10:
c. Perception and Direct Realism
(IE): p. 159-165, p. 175-206.
d. Memory and Identity
(IE): p. 206-218.EASTER HOLIDAY - APRIL 20-24, NO CLASSES - HAPPY BUNNY DAY!
TUESDAY, APRIL 25: FINAL DRAFT OF PAPER DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS.
April 18, Week of April 24:
e. Conception and Abstraction
(IE): p. 218-251
f. Judgment
(IE): p. 251-293.TUESDAY, MAY 2: STUDY DAY, NO CLASSES.
FINAL EXAM: SATURDAY, MAY 6, 1:30-4:30 PM IN REGULAR CLASSROOM.
* NOTE: Topics, Due Dates, Assignments and Policies are tentative and may be changed.
IMPORTANT: You should visit the course home page, which contains a copy of the syllabus enhanced with numerous links to useful web sites. You should also visit my home page, from which you can access the course home page as well as several hundred links to research and philosophy oriented web sites you may find interesting and useful. The URL for my web page is http://www.ucs.louisiana.edu/~kak7409.
