PHILOSOPHY 250. Rationalism and Empiricism

Earlham College, Fall Semester 2007-2008
Monday, Thursday 1:00-2:20; Carpenter 320
Instructor: Ferit Güven
Office: Carpenter 328
Office Hours: By appointment
Office Phone: 983-1399
e-mail: guvenfe@earlham.edu
web page: http://www.earlham.edu/~guvenfe
Moodle page: https://moodle.earlham.edu/course/view.php?id=230

Course Description: This course is an introduction to modern European philosophy.  The focus of the course is epistemology and metaphysics. We will concentrate on rationalism (Descartes, Spinoza and Leibniz) and empiricism (Locke, Berkeley and Hume).

Required Texts: (available in the Earlham College bookstore)
Descartes, Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy, (Indianapolis: Hackett, 1998), ISBN: 0-87220-420-0
Spinoza, Ethics, Treatise on the Emendation of the Intellect and Selected Letters (Indianapolis: Hackett, 1992), ISBN: 0-87220-130-9
Leibniz, Discourse on Metaphysics and Other Essays, (Indianapolis: Hackett, 1991), ISBN: 0-87220-132-5
Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, (Indianapolis: Hackett, 1996), ISBN: 0-87220-216-X
Berkeley, A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, (Indianapolis: Hackett, 1982), ISBN: 0-915145-39-1
Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, (Indianapolis: Hackett, 1993), ISBN: 0-87220-229-1

Course Requirements:  This course will consist of lectures and discussion.  Attandance and participation are important dimensions of the course and your grade.  I expect you to come to class prepared and ready to participate, i.e., having read the text carefully, and ready to raise and answer questions. 

You are required to write 4 papers. I will provide paper topics for these papers. For every paper you are responsible for following the general guidelines provided. (See "Comments and Suggestions for Papers").

Each student will prepare one protocol. A protocol is a carefully edited summary/notes of the previous class session written in full sentences. Protocols will be 2 single-spaced pages and will be photocopied by the student who wrote it and handed out to all students at the beginning of each class to be read aloud.  The protocol will serve as a cumulative record of the course. In addition to reviewing the material covered in the previous class, it should include announcements made in class and questions not addressed in class. The best protocols will be those that do not simply reproduce word for word everything that was said during class, but that rearrange the material thematically, editing out what was unimportant and emphasizing what was significant. One of the advantages of the protocols is to allow you to think during class and not just take notes; because someone will be taking notes for you, you can concentrate on the ideas being presented, and participate without having to write constantly. Also, you will have a summary of every class which will help you with writing papers.

You will also fulfill a library assignment.

Your grade will be calculated according to the following distribution: Papers 1-2-3: 15% each= 45%; Final Paper: 25%, Protocol=15%; Library Assignment: 5%, Attandence and Participation=10%

Participation and Attendance:
Even though participation counts for only 10% of your grade, it may still mean a lot if you are between two grades, e.g., A and A-. However, I expect you to participate not simply for the sake of your grade, but hopefully because you will be interested in what will be discussed in class.
If you miss more than five classes you will fail this course regardless of your grade.

Our sessions will start at 11:00 am. Students are expected to come on time. Walking in and out of the classroom while the session is in progress is extremely disruptive for everybody. For every two late attendance (or early exit) you will be marked as absent for one class session. You are required to bring the text (the book or photocopied material) to class, and refer to them during discussions.

Office hours are for students to discuss ideas, assignments and questions. You are encouraged and welcome to come by my office or make appointments for times other than scheduled office hours. You should take advantage of office hours and appointments not simply to discuss your papers (you are obviously welcome to do that too) but also to understand ideas, and texts discussed in class.

Any student with a documented disability (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the instructor and Disability Services Office (Academic Support Services) at the beginning of the semester. Accommodation arrangements must be made during the first-two weeks of the semester.

Calender: There will be several modifications to this calendar. It is your responsibility to be aware of these changes. These changes will be announced in class. If you miss a class you should make sure that you are informed about the assignments for the next session.

Week 1:
August 22: Introduction to the course
August 24: Descartes, Discourse on Method, part 1
Week 2:
August 27: Descartes, Discourse on Method, parts 1-2
August 29: Descartes, Discourse on Method, parts 3-4
August 31: Descartes, Meditations 1-2
Week 3:
September 3: Descartes, Meditations 3-4
September 5: Descartes, Meditations 5-6
September 7: Descartes, Discourse on Method, parts 5-6
Week 4:
September 10: Spinoza, Emendation of the Intellect, pp.233-250
September 12: Spinoza, Emendation of the Intellect, pp.250-262
September 14: Spinoza, Emendation of the Intellect, pp.233-262
Week 5:
September 17: Spinoza, Ethics, Part I, pp.31-46
September 19: Spinoza, Ethics, Part I, pp.46-62
September 21: Spinoza, Ethics, Part I, pp.31-62; Paper 1
Week 6:
September 24: Spinoza, Ethics, Part II, pp.63-79
September 26: Spinoza, Ethics, Part II, pp.80-101
September 28: Spinoza, Ethics, Part II, pp.63-101

Week 7:
October 1: Locke, Book I, pp.1-32
October 3: Locke, Book II, pp.33-68
October 5: Locke, Book II, pp.69-114
Week 8:
October 8: Locke, Book II, pp.114-172
October 10: Locke, Book IV, chps.1-2-9-10-11-18
October 12: Midsemester Break
Week 9:
October 15: Leibniz, Discourse, pp.1-41
October 17: Leibniz, Discourse, pp.1-41
October 19: Leibniz, Discourse, pp.1-41; Paper 2
Week 10:
October 22: Leibniz, Monadology, pp. 68-81
October 24: Leibniz, Monadology, pp. 68-81
October 26: Leibniz, Monadology, pp. 68-81
Week 11:    
October 29: Berkeley, pp.7-21
October 31: Berkeley, pp.23-35
November 2: Berkeley, pp.7-35
Week 12:
November 5: Berkeley, pp.35-56
November 7: Berkeley, pp.56-87
November 9: Berkeley, pp.56-87
Week 13:
November 12: Hume, pp.1-69
November 14: Hume, pp.1-69
November 16: Hume, pp.1-69, Paper 3
November 19-November 23:  Fall Break 
Week 14:
November 26: Hume, Selections from A Treatise of Human Nature (on Moodle)
November 28: Hume, Selections from A Treatise of Human Nature (on Moodle)
November 30: Hume, Selections from A Treatise of Human Nature (on Moodle)
Week 15:
December 3: Review
December 5: Review
December 7:  Evaluation
December 12: Final Paper due (@5:00pm)

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