PHIL 315
Philosophy in the Eighteenth Century
Tuesday/Thursday 2:00 to 3:30
Professor Margaret Schabas (Buchanan E358)
Course Description: We will study the primary texts by many leading contributors to Western philosophy of the eighteenth century, with the aim of covering both pillars of philosophy, epistemology and metaphysics on the one hand, and moral and political philosophy on the other. We will read George Berkeley, David Hume, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Immanuel Kant, and Mary Wollstonecraft. All of these slim texts are published by Hackett and are available at a very low price (often $10 to $20).
Texts: Berkeley,Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous
Hume,Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
Hume,Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals
Rousseau, A Discourse on Inequality
Kant,Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics
Wollstonecraft, Vindication of the Rights of Womon
Grading:Three Short Essays 60
Final Examination 40 TBA
100%
Logistics: There will be assigned essay questions, one for each of the first four books. The essays are to be approximately 1300 words. No research is required or recommended. They will prompt you to engage the assigned text and probe more deeply into a particular philosophical question. You have the option to write all four and drop one with the lowest grade. The final exam is comprehensive but more weight will be given to the last two books, i.e. Kant and Wollstonecraft. The essay questions will be distributed on the last day.
Protocol: Only if notified in advance of a due date or testisit possible to accommodate tardy submissions or absentees. Every effort will be made to post relevant notes on the Connect site. In order to foster discussion and engagement during class, I request that computers and other electronic devices be turned off unless authorized by the Centre for Access and Diversity. Out of courtesy to your classmates, please arrive on time and stay for the entire class.
Class Schedule
January 4:Preliminaries
January 9-11: Berkeley, I & II
January 16: Berkeley III
January 18:Hume EHU Chs. 1-3
January 23Hume EHU Chs. 4-5 First Essay Due
January 25: Hume EHU Chs. 6-7
January 30: Hume EHU Chs. 8-9
February 1: Hume EHU Chs. 10-12
February 6:Hume EPM Chs. 4-6 Second Essay Due
February 8: Hume EPM Chs. 1-3
February 13: Hume EPM Chs 4-6
February 15: Hume EPM Chs 7-9, A Dialogue
February 20-22: Midterm Break
February 27: Rousseau Third Essay Due
March 1:Rousseau
March 6-8: Rousseau
March 13-15:KantFourth Essay Due
March 20-22: Kant
March 27:Wollstonecraft Introduction, Chs 1-3
March 29 Wollstonecraft Chs 4-6
April 3 WollstonecraftChs 7-9
April 5Wollstonecraft Chs. 10-13 Exam Preview Distributed
April TBAFinal Exam