Philosophy 251: History of Western Philosophy II

Sect. 000, Spring Term 2007

last updated 3/26/07

Instructor

Steven K. Strange

Office: 320 Bowden Hall (404-727-0460)

Office Hours: Th 12-2 and by appointment

Teaching Associate

Jennifer Lobo

Office: 109 Bowden Hall

Office hours: Wed 2-3 and by appointment

Texts

Students are required to use and cite these editions only (Hackett Publishing except as noted):

Descartes, Discourse on Method and Meditations (4^th ed. Cress)

Spinoza, Ethics (ed. Shirley)

Leibniz, Monadology (online)

Locke, Essay Concerning Human Understanding (online)

Berkeley, Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous (ed. Adams)

Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (2^nd ed. Steinberg)

Kant, Prologomena to Any Future Metaphysics (2^nd ed. Ellington)

Hegel, Spirit, ed. Shannon

Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols (ed. Polt/Strong)

Requirements & Grading

All assigned work must be submitted in order to pass the course. Your final course grade will be based on the following factors:

(A) Class attendance and participation (15% of the course grade)

(B) An in-class quiz (10%)

(C) In-class midterm examination (20%)

(D) Two essay assignments (overall writing grade of 30%)

(E) Final examination (25%)

Your responsibilities: Examinations must be taken at the scheduled times. All other work must be submitted on time, unless permission is granted in advance by the instructor or TA. All work submitted must be your own and prepared specifically for this course, except for quotations and citations of primary texts or secondary material, all of which must be acknowledged. Use (that is, quotation or paraphrase) of others' work, or your own work from other courses, without proper acknowledgment, constitutes a violation of the Emory College Honor Code.

Schedule of Class Meetings, Readings, and Assignments

Text 1: Descartes, Discourse on Method (18-23 January)

Text 2: Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy (25 January-1 February)

Text 3: Spinoza, Ethics, Parts I, II, and V (6-8 February)

(In-Class Quiz: Tuesday 13 February)

Text 4: Leibniz, Monadology (13-15 February)

(Essay 1: assigned 15 February, due Thursday 1 March)

Text 5: Locke, Essay Concerning Human Understanding, Book I Introduction & ch.1 (No Innate Speculative Principles), Book I ch.3 (Other Considerations Concerning Innate Principles), Book II chs.1-8 (up to Some Further Considerations…), Book II ch.23 (Of Our Complex Ideas of Substances) (20-22 February)

Text 6: Berkeley, Three Dialogues (27 February-6 March)

(Midterm examination, Thursday 8 March)

13-15 March: Spring Break

Text 7: Hume (20-29 March)

(Essay 2: assigned 27 March, due Saturday 7 April)

Text 8: Kant, Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics (3-12 April)

Text 9: Hegel, Phenomenology of Spirit, selections (17-19 April)

Text 10: Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols (24-26 April)

(Final examination: 8 May, 4:30 PM)