PHILOSOPHY 250. Rationalism and Empiricism

Earlham College, Fall Semester 2008-2009
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 11:00-11:50; Carpenter 214
Instructor: Ferit Güven
Office: Carpenter 328
Office Hours: By appointment
Office Phone: 983-1399
e-mail: guvenfe@earlham.edu

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
Leibniz, Discourse on Metaphysics and Other Essays, (Indianapolis: Hackett, 1991), ISBN: 0-87220-132-5
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

On Moodle: Spinoza, Ethics, Treatise on the Emendation of the Intellect and Selected Letters (Indianapolis: Hackett, 1992), ISBN: 0-87220-130-9
Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, (Indianapolis: Hackett, 1996), ISBN: 0-87220-216-X

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- 15% each= 30%; Paper 3: 20% Final Paper: 30%, Library Assignment: 10%, 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 six 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.

Revised Calendar: 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:
Week 2:
Week 3:
Week 4:
Week 5:
September 22: Introduction
September 24: Spinoza, Ethics, Part I, pp. 31-46 (On Moodle)
September 26: Spinoza, Ethics, Part I, pp. 31-46

Week 6:
September 29: Spinoza, The Emendation of the Intellect (On Moodle)
October 1: Spinoza, The Emendation of the Intellect
October 3: Spinoza, The Emendation of the Intellect

Week 7:
October 6: No Class
October 8: Spinoza, Locke
October 10: Locke

Week 8:
October 13: Locke, Book I, pp. 1-32 (On Moodle)
October 15: Locke, Book II, pp. 33-68
October 17: Locke, Book II, pp. 117-150

Week 9:
October 20: Leibniz, Discourse, pp. 1-41, 2nd Paper Due
October 22: Leibniz, Discourse, pp. 1-41, On the Ultimate Origination of Things, pp. 41-48
October 24: Midsemester Break

Week 10:
October 27: Leibniz, Preface to the New Essays, pp. 49-67
October 29: Leibniz, Monadology, pp. 68-81
October 31: Leibniz, Monadology, pp. 68-81

Week 11:    
November 3: Berkeley, pp. 7-21
November 5: Berkeley, pp. 23-35
November 7: No Class: Library Assignment

Week 12:
November 10: Berkeley, pp. 35-56, 3rd Paper Due
November 12: Berkeley, pp. 56-87
November 14: Berkeley, pp. 56-87

Week 13:
November 17: Hume, pp. 1-69
November 19: Hume, pp. 1-69
November 21: Hume, pp. 1-69

November 24-November 28:  Fall Break 

Week 14:
December 1: Hume, Selections from A Treatise of Human Nature (on Moodle)
December 3: Hume, Selections from A Treatise of Human Nature (on Moodle)
December 5: Hume, Selections from A Treatise of Human Nature (on Moodle)

Week 15:
December 8: Review
December 10: Review
December 12:  Evaluation

December 15: Final Paper due (@5:00pm)