Ph 13 Fall  '08                                                                                                                                                             David Banach

Modern Philosophy

 

Lo, for your gaze, the pattern of the skies!
What balance of the mass, what reckonings
Divine! Here ponder too the Laws which God,
Framing the universe, set not aside
But made the fixed foundations of his work.

 

Matters that vexed the minds of ancient seers,
And for our learned doctors often led
To loud and vain contention, now are seen
In reason's light, the clouds of ignorance
Dispelled at last by science. Those on whom
Delusion cast its gloomy pall of doubt,
Upborne now on the wings that genius lends,
May penetrate the mansions of the gods
And scale the heights of heaven. O mortal men,
Arise! And, casting off your earthly cares,
Learn ye the potency of the heaven-born mind,
Its thought and life far from the herd withdrawn!

Edmund Halley’s  “Ode to Newton” prefaced to the Principia

 

 

Human reason has this peculiar fate that in one species of its knowledge it is burdened by questions which, as prescribed by the very nature of reason itself, it is not able to ignore, but which, as transcending all its powers, it is also not able to answer

               Kant,  Critique of Pure Reason

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have therefore found it necessary to deny knowledge, in order to make room for faith.

               Kant,  Critique of Pure Reason

 

 

 

 

The Course:

               The Modern period in Philosophy runs roughly from 1600 to 1800. It is defined by the attempt to come to terms with the intellectual implications of the Scientific Revolution. There has long been a standard canon (or accepted body of significant work) for this period that includes seven philosophers arranged into three groups: Descartes, Leibniz, and Spinoza (The Rationalists); Locke, Berkeley, and Hume (The Empiricists); and Kant (who is generally thought to have combined the best insights of the other two groups). This course is a study of the thought, mainly on metaphysical and epistemological issues, of these philosophers.

               The course centers on two main problems: (1) How is knowledge of the external world possible? And (2) What is the place of humans in the new view of the universe revealed by science? The Modern period covers the first attempts to solve these problems following the scientific revolution. It moves from the massive confidence of the first scientists in our ability to solve these problems to the skepticism of Hume and Kant. The aim of the course is to give you an understanding of the intellectual foundations of the Modern world, as well as the beginnings of the Post-Modern world in the failures of the Modern project.

               The course aims to be both a history of ideas and a philosophy course. Hence, you will not only have to master the ideas of these thinkers, but also evaluate them for yourselves.

 

 

 

Office: Bradley House 309                                           Office phone: 641-7062

email- dbanach@anselm.edu                        course webpage: http://dbanach.com

                                                                           resource webpage: http://www.anselm.edu/homepage/dbanach/ph13.htm

 

 

Text:

1. The Rationalists.

2. The Empiricists.
3. Kant, Critique of Pure Reason. (Kemp Smith trans.)

You may use other editions. See schedule for actual texts read from the anthologies. Electronic versions of these texts are available on our course website.

I also recommend a good history of philosophy such as W.T. Jones, A History of Western Philosophy: Hobbes to Hume, Volume III. (Volume IV contains Kant.). You can find a full set of my recommendations at this link.

 

Requirements:

Exam 1             20%                 Argument Analysis 20%          

Exam 2             20%                 Final Exam 30%           Misc. Quizzes 5%                                 Kant Quiz 5%

Exams: There will be two exams, one on the Rationalists, one on the Empiricists. There will also be a quiz on Kant. Dates for the exams are on the schedule. The exams will be in class.

 

Final Exam:
The Final Exam is a cumulative exam. It will include short questions on the readings as well as essay questions requiring you to discuss issues. Besides being 30% of your grade it is also the primary factor in deciding borderline cases. In cases of extraordinarily good performances on the final exam, I retain the option of raising the final course grade to accord more with the final exam grade. The Final Exam must be taken when scheduled. Under no circumstances may it be taken after the scheduled date.

 

Argument Analysis:  Each student will analyze one argument from a work we have read. The student is expected to (1) choose an argument that has significance to the author’s thought. (2) To provide an analysis of the argument into premises,  (3) evaluate the premises and formulate an alternative version of the argument that meets the first concerns raised about the initial premises, and to (4) Evaluate whether the revised argument is sound.  You should note that this project is not a research project. The due dates for the various philosophers are listed on the schedule. You are strongly encouraged to discuss your topic with me before beginning work. 

Requirements: 2-7 pages (600 to 2000 words).  Must follow the format on the instruction sheet.   No late projects or extensions. There will be a 10% penalty for each class meeting the project is handed in late.

 

Grading:

Your grade will be determined as follows:

A            93.5%

A-           90%

 

B+          87.5%

B            83.5%

B-           80%

C+          77.5%

C            72.5%

C-           70%

D+          67%

D            60%