Intellectual History
Philosophy 417, Fall 2010
Instructor: Jeffrey A. Bell, Ph.D.
Time: 2-3:15pm MW, in Fayard 239
Office Hours: MWF 8-10am, 11-12pm, MWF 1-2pm MW, or by appointment, in Fayard 355C.
Phone: 549-3918
Email:
Course web page:
Click Courses link and then click on link to this course.
Required Reading:
Randall Collins, The Sociology of Philosophies.
(All page numbers in syllabus refer to this
book)
On-line Readings (available at course website). These readings are indicated in the syllabus by bold numbers (e.g., 1., 2., 3., etc.).
Course Objectives
The purpose of this course is to discuss many of the influential periods of intellectual creativity from Ancient Greece and China up to twentieth-century France. We will also discuss the online readings as they become relevant.
Course Requirements
There will be one midterm exam (20%), a final (30%). The two exams will have a section of short answers and essay questions. I will hand out a study sheet one week prior to each exam. In addition, you are to write thee online reading summaries (3-4 pages) on any 3 of the 16 supplementary readings that are available at the course website. Each written summary is worth 5% of your final grade. You will also need to write a research paper relating any of the sixteen figures to the themes discussed by Randall Collins, and be sure to cite the Collins text. This paper is to be 8-10 pages in length and may be an expanded version of one of your three summaries. This paper will be worth 35% of your final grade. It is highly recommended that you refer to additional outside sources. Extra credit is possible for those who write summaries in excess of the required three. For each extra summary, a certain amount of 10 points (depending on the grade the summary receives) will be added to the final score of your final exam, up to a maximum of 30 points.
Attendance Requirements
Class participation is an integral part of the course. Failure to attend class regularly will harm your final grade. Note: the readings will be supplemented with lectures, and material from these lectures will appear on the exams. Consequently, to encourage regular attendance there will be certain rules: 1) only 5 excused and unexcused absences will be allowed. Anyone who exceeds this limit will receive an F. An absence is accepted if there is (1) personal illness, (2) illness or death of a family member, (3) legitimate participation in school activities such as sports and music, and (4) events beyond your control (e.g., car breaks down, a wreck, court appearance). You must clear these absences with me, otherwise I will mark them down as unexcused. And if you are late be sure to see that I put your name on the role to avoid an unexcused absence. Note: if any handicaps prohibit the fulfillment of these requirements, let me know. And finally, a copy of this syllabus is available on the blackboard site, under the course information link.
Reading Assignments
Aug 18Introduction
Aug 23Collins, pp. 19-53 – “Vying for space”
Aug 25 pp. 54-79 – “Networking”
Aug 30Anceint Greece, pp. 80-133
1. Plato – Apology (entire)
Sep 1“
Sep 6No Class. Labor Day.
Sep 8Ancient Rome, pp. 109-133
2. Seneca – Of a Happy A Life (entire)
Sep 13“
3. Plotinus – Six Enneads (read tractate 1-4)
Sep 15Ancient China, pp. 137-176
4. Chuang Tzu – Writings (read bks. 1-5)
Sep 20“
5. Confucius – Analects (read 1:1-5:27)
Sep 22Ancient India – Hinduism and Buddhism
pp. 177-271.
Sep 27“
6. Nagarjuna – Exposition o f Bodhicitta
(entire)
Sep 29Islam, pp. 387-428.
Oct 4“
7. Al-Ghazali – Deliverance from Error (read
through “Concerning Philosophical sects…”
Oct 6Political breakdown of Intellectual Creativity,
pp. 429-450.
Review.
Oct 11Midterm.
Oct 13Medieval Christendom, pp. 451-522.
Oct 18“
8. Anselm – Proslogium (entire)
Oct 20“
9. Aquinas – On Being and Essence (entire)
Oct 25“
Oct 27Scientific Revolution, pp. 523-569
October 24 is last day to drop
Nov 1“
10. Bacon – Novum Organum read preface
and aphorisms 1-68)
Nov 3“
11. Boyle - Sceptical Chymist (entire)
Nov 8German University Revolution, pp. 618-687
Nov 10“
12. Kant – Prolegomena (read preamble and
first part)
Nov 15“
13. Hegel – Science of Logic (read secs. 33-
87)
Nov 17“
14. Marx – Communist Manifesto (entire)
Nov 22Twentieth Century, pp. 754-784
15. Nietzsche – Twilight of the Idols (read
through “the Improvers of mankind”)
Nov 24No Class. Thanksgiving.
Nov 29“
16. Foucault – What is Enlightenment?
Dec 1“
Review.
Dec 8 (Wednesday) Final Exam: 8-10am.