Spring 2020 Schedule (UPDATED)
All dates given below are subject to change.
Important Dates
| 20 Feb | Term Paper 1 Posted |
| 5 Mar | Term Paper 1 Due |
| 12 Mar | Term Test 1 |
| 2 Apr | Term Paper 2 Posted |
| 17 Apr | Term Paper 2 Due |
| 21 May | Term Test 2 |
Schedule of Topics & Readings
B = available on Blackboard
| Unit 0 | Introduction to Early Modern Philosophy |
| 28 & 30 Jan | Descartes and the Scientific Revolution |
| Francis Bacon, Selections from New Organon | |
| Galileo Galilei, Selections from The Assayer | |
| René Descartes, Discourse on the Method, Parts 1–2 | |
| Unit 1 | Foundations: Descartes’ Meditations on First Philosophy |
| 4 & 6 Feb | 1.1 Descartes on Skepticism, Certainty, & God |
| Meditations I–III | |
| 11 & 13 Feb | 1.2 Cartesian Dualism & Its Early Critics |
| Meditations V–VI | |
| “The Cartesian Circle”: Selections from the Objections and Replies B | |
| 18 Feb | Unit 1 Discussion |
| Unit 2 | Metaphysics After Descartes: the Mind-Body Problem |
| 20 & 25 Feb | 2.1 Discovery of the Problem: Elisabeth of Bohemia & Malebranche |
| Elisabeth of Bohemia, Selections from Correspondence with Descartes | |
| Nicolas Malebranche, Selections from The Search After Truth (Optional) | |
| Margaret Cavendish, Selections from Philosophical Letters | |
| 27 Feb | 2.2 Is Mind-Body Interaction a Miracle? Malebranche and Leibniz on Substance |
| G. W. Leibniz, New System | |
| Damaris Cudworth, Selections from Correspondence with Leibniz (Optional) | |
| 3 & 5 Mar | 2.3 Idealism: Berkeley’s Empiricist Critique of Matter |
| George Berkeley, Three Dialogues, Preface & First Dialogue | |
| Mary Shepherd, Selections from Essays | |
| 10 Mar | Unit 2 Discussion |
| 12 Mar | Term Test 1 |
| 16–27 Mar | Classes cancelled due to COVID-19 |
| Unit 3 | Epistemology after Descartes: Rationalism & Empiricism |
| 31 Mar & 2 Apr | 3.1 Locke’s Critique of Innatism |
| John Locke, Essay I.i, I.ii.1–8, 15–16, 22 | |
| G. W. Leibniz, Selections from Preface to the New Essays | |
| 7 & 9 April | 3.2 Locke’s Empiricism |
| John Locke, Essay II.i.1–9, II.ii, II.viii.7–26, II.xii, II.xxiii.1–4 | |
| 14 & 16 Apr | 3.3 Hume’s Skeptical Empiricism |
| Hume, Enquiry Sects. II–V | |
| 21 Apr | Unit 3 Discussion |
| Unit 4 | Rationalism After Descartes: Kant’s Critical Philosophy |
| 28 & 30 Apr | 4.1 Kant’s Prolegomena I: the Possibility of Metaphysics |
| Prolegomena to any Future Metaphysics, Preface & Preamble | |
| 5 & 7 May | 4.2 Kant’s Prolegomena II: Pure Mathematics & Pure Natural Science |
| Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics, Sects. 6–23, 27–38 | |
| 12 May | 4.3 Kant’s Prolegomena III: A Science of Metaphysics? |
| Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics, Sects. 40–44, Scholium: Solution to the General Question of the Prolegomena, “How is metaphysics possible as a science?” | |
| 14 May | Unit 4 Discussion |
| 21 May | Term Test 2 (Take Home) |