Course Syllabus

PHIL 4406 – HISTORY OF MODERN PHILOSOPHY

Fall 2018

 

Day / Time:    T & TH 1:30-2:45 pm    Lyons 202

Instructor:   Prof. Jean-Luc Solère

 

Course Description

From the early 17^th to the end of the 18^th century, conquering rationality asserted its autonomy and led to Enlightenment, but at the same time reflected on its own limits. The course presents in a synthetic but not superficial manner the major philosophies (roughly, from Descartes to Kant) that have punctuated the development of scientific knowledge, the rise of the modern mind, and the transformation of Western societies.

This comprehensive survey covers metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and political thought. It particularly pays attention to the logical development in the succession of questions and answers that characterize the evolution of philosophy in the modern times. 

The course will provide you with the central concepts of modern thought, so as to grasp the bases of today understanding of the world and of ourselves. Analysis of representative texts, class discussions, and writing assignments are designed to develop rigorous argumen­tation and expression skills.

 

Readings

Required books:

Modern Philosophy. An Anthology of Primary Sources, ed. by R. Ariew & E. Watkins, 2^nd edition, Hackett 2009 (ISBN 978-0-87220-978-7).

Emmanuel Kant, Groundings of the Metaphysics of Morals, Hackett 1993 (978-0-87220-166-8)

John Locke, Locke, Second Treatise of Government, Hackett 1980 (978-0-915144-86-0)

John Locke, A Letter Concerning Toleration, Hackett 1983 (978-0-915145-60-7)

Some other primary sources will be photocopied.

The course has a Canvas site which provides various information and materials, and syllabus updates.

Helpful complementary readings can be found in the Routledge History of Philosophy, vol. IV: The Renaissance and 17^th C. Rationalism (O’Neill Stacks B770 .R38 1993 ) and vol. V: British Philosophy and the Age of Enlightenment (O’Neill Stacks B1302.E65 B68 1996 ).

Understanding the ins and outs of modern philosophy presupposes some knowledge of ancient and medieval philosophy, and mostly of Aristotelism, against which modern thought reacted at its beginnings. If you are not quite familiar with the tenets of Aristotelian philosophy, I strongly recommend, as a minimum, that you read as soon as possible the entry “Aristotle” in the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy (online, free access from the library databases), sections 8-14 and 17-19.

 

Office Hours

Stokes Hall N 219, TH 2:30-4 pm, or by appointment.

I cannot respond by email to questions related to the subject matter of classes, but I’ll be glad to talk with you about it.

Class policy

Texts assigned in the syllabus must be studied before the class. As a help, introductory readings in secondary literature are indicated in the syllabus, and study questions will be posted on Canvas. Two hours of preparation for each hour in class is a minimum. Texts must be brought in class.

Attendance: “Students are expected to attend classes regularly, take tests, and submit papers and other work at the times specified by the professor on the course syllabus. Students who are absent repeatedly from class or practica will be evaluated by faculty responsible for the course to ascertain their ability to achieve the course objectives and to continue in the course” (from BC Academic Regulations).

As a matter of courtesy for the instructor, of respect for other students’ involvement, and for maintaining a studious environment, please do not leave the room without absolute necessity (rule of thumb: a serious medical reason); do not arrive late; do not use computers, tablets or phones other than for taking notes or looking up information relevant to the course.

Academic integrity: see www.bc.edu/offices/stserv/academic/integrity.html.  Plagiarism is a form of fraud and results, at a minimum, in failing the course, without prejudice to heavier sanctions. The definition of plagiarism includes not only turning in someone else's work as your own or copying sentences without the appropriate quotation conventions, but also paraphrasing (that is, changing the words while reproducing the sentence structure or the ideas of someone else) without giving credit to the source. This applies to any material found on the Internet. For the appropriate forms of quotation, see www.plagiarism.org.

 

Grading

Three papers (all take-home): 100 points each

Class participation: bonus added to the average resulting from the 3 written exams (4 pts maximum).

Grades in this course mean the following:

            A: Exceptional work, unusual in how well it fulfills the assignment *

            B: Strong work that fulfills the assignment

            C: Good work that adequately fulfills most of the assignment

            D: Work that inadequately addresses much of the assignment

            F: Work that fails to address most of the assignment

Numerical scale:   D-  60-63     D  64-67     D+  68-69     C-  70-73     C  74-76     C+  77-79     B- 80-83    B 84-87     B+  88-90     A-  91-95*     A  96-100*

* “I urge you to … use these top grades only for truly outstanding work” (BC A&S Dean to the faculty).

 

SYLLABUS

 

Abbreviations:

AW = Ariew & Watkins, Modern Philosophy. An Anthology of Primary Sources.

phot. = photocopies, accessible on Canvas (Modules > Scanned Primary Sources)

IEP = Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy

REP = Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy online (free through library databases)

SEP = Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy online

 

OUTLINES:

Introduction – Classes 1-3

Part I – Classes 4-10: A new philosophy for a new science: from the scientific revolution to the mechanist explanation ideal

Part II – Classes 11-18: The problem of knowledge

Part III – Classes 19-23: Political philosophy

Part IV – Classes 24-28: Ethics

 

Introduction

Aug. 28 – Class 1:      Presentation of the course. The scientific revolution, 1

Aug. 30 – Class 2:      The scientific revolution, 2

Sept. 4 – Class 3:       The scientific revolution, 3

Michael Fowler: “From Galileo to Newton” (document on Canvas, section “Other docs”)

 

Part  I – A new philosophy for a new science: from the scientific revolution to the mechanist explanation ideal

Sept. 6 – Class 4:       The mechanist explanation ideal, 1

Descartes, The World (phot.)

REP: “Descartes”, sect. 2 & 11-12

Sept. 11  – Class 5:    The mechanist explanation ideal, 2

Descartes, Discourse on Method, part 5: AW pp. 33-34

Fontenelle, A Conversation on the Plurality of Worlds, pp. 20-22 (phot.)

Sept. 13 – Class 6:     The mechanist explanation ideal, 3

Boyle, Corpuscular or Mechanical Philosophy : AW pp. 308-315

“Atomism” in The Galileo Project (http://galileo.rice.edu/sci/theories/atomism.html). – SEP: “Atomism from the 17th to the 20th Century”, sect. 2. – REP: “Boyle”, sect. 2 & 4

Sept. 18 – Class 7:    Mechanism, God and Nature, 1

Newton, Principia  and Opticks (phot.)

SEP: “Newton’s Philosophy”

Sept. 20 – Class 8:   Mechanism, God and Nature, 2

Spinoza, Ethics, part I, appendix: AW pp. 160-164

REP: “Spinoza”, sect. 4

Sept. 25 – Class 9:  Mechanism, God and Nature, 3

Spinoza, Ethics, p. III, pref. (phot.)

D’Holbach, The System of Nature, pp. 17-32 (phot.)

Sept. 27 – Class 10:  Mechanism, God and Nature, 4

Leibniz, Discourse of Metaphysics sect. 19-22: AW pp. 235-238

REP: “Leibniz”, sect. 11

 

Part II – The problem of knowledge

Oct. 2 – Class 11:  The knowledge problem. A priori ideas

Descartes, Meditation 3: AW pp. 47-52 (“… if such a being did not exist”), 53 (“All that remains …”)-54a ; Meditation 5: AW pp. 58-61

REP: “Descartes”, sect. 8-9. – IEP: "Descartes", sect. 2, 3, 7, and "Descartes: The Mind-Body Distinction"

Oct. 4 – Class 12:       Empiricism

Locke, Essay on Human Understanding, Bk I chap. 1-2, Bk II chap. 1-12: AW pp. 316-342; Bk III chap. 3: AW pp. 377-381 ; Bk IV chap. 1-4, 10-11: AW pp. 386-415

IEP: "Locke"

Oct. 9 – Class 13:       Rationalism

Leibniz, New Essays on Human Understanding: AW pp. 422-425

REP: "Leibniz", sect. 8

Oct. 11: No class

Oct. 16 – Class 14:     Skepticism, 1

Hume, An Inquiry concerning Human Understanding, sections I-II, V: AW pp. 536 (“But this obscurity…”)-555

REP: "Hume" sect. 2-4, 7-9. – SEP: "Hume" sect. 2-8

Oct. 18 – Class 15:     Skepticism, 2

Hume, An Inquiry concerning Human Understanding, section VII: AW pp. 556-564, Treatise on Human Nature: AW pp. 517-525

Oct. 23 – Class 16:     How is science possible?

Kant, Critique of Pure Reason, Preface, Introduction:  AW pp. 717-729

REP : "Kant", sect. 3-5

Oct. 25 – Class 17:    A priori and a posteriori knowledge

Kant, Critique of Pure Reason, Transcendantal Aesthetic: AW pp. 729 (“Human cognition has two stems…”) - 737

Oct. 30 – Class 18:    The categories of understanding

Kant, Critique of Pure Reason, Transcendantal logic, Transcendantal deduction: AW pp. 737-746

IEP: "Kant", sect. 4-5-6. – REP: "Kant", sect. 6-7-8

 

Part III – Political philosophy

Nov. 1 – Class 19:  The birth of artificialism, 1

Hobbes, Leviathan (phot.)

IEP: “Hobbes”, sect. 4b-c, 5, 6

Nov. 6 – Class 20: The birth of artificialism, 2

Hobbes, Leviathan (phot.)

Nov. 8 – Class 21:  The democratic contract, 1

Locke, Second Treatise of Government, pp. 1-51

Nov. 13 – Class 22: The democratic contract, 2

Locke, Second Treatise of Government, pp. 52-83

Nov. 15 – Class 23: The dawn of tolerance

Locke, Letter Concerning Toleration

SEP: “Toleration”; “Bayle”, sect. 4; “Locke, Political Philosophy”

 

Part IV – Ethics

Nov. 20 – Class 24:  Classical ethics

Descartes, Meditation 4: AW pp. 54-58; Letters (phot.)

Malebranche, A Treatise on Ethics (phot.)

SEP: “Descartes’ ethics”; “Malebranche”, sect. 6. – REP: "Spinoza", sect. 9-12. – IEP: "Spinoza", sect. 6.

Nov. 22 – No class (Thanksgiving)

Nov. 27 – Class 25: Ethics of the individual, 1

Spinoza, Ethics, part II prop. 48-49: AW pp. 184-187

Nov. 29 – Class 26:  Ethics of the individual, 2

Hume, Enquiry Concerning The Principles of Morals  (phot.)

REP: "Hume", sect. 10-11. –  IEP: "Hume. c: Moral theory"

Dec. 4 – Class 27: Kant and the autonomy of practical reason, 1

Kant, Groundings for the Metaphysics of Morals, pref. and 1^st section: pp. 1-17

REP: "Kant", sect. 9-10-11

Dec. 6 – Class 28:  Kant and the autonomy of practical reason, 2

Kant, GMM : pp.19-42 (“… to bring the moral law near the intuition”)

SEP: "Kant’s moral philosophy"

 

Tentative schedule for the exams (all take-home):

1^st:  after completion of part I, i.e. between Sept. 27 and Oct. 2

2^nd: after completion of part II, i.e. between Oct. 30 and Nov. 6

3^rd: after completion of parts III and IV, i.e. after Dec. 6