Philosophy 2317: History of Philosophy II

Spring 2006 Steve Hiltz

shiltz@mail.smu.edu
214-696-6494 (home) 214-768-4027 (SMU office)
Office Hours: T Th 1:50-2:45, JO 5.712 (or by
appointment)

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

The course will survey the writings of major philosophers

of the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries. Philosophers to be
studied include Francis Bacon, Rene Descartes, Benedict
Spinoza, Gottfried Leibniz, John Locke, George Berkeley,
David Hume, Immanuel Kant, G. W. F. Hegel, Karl Marx,
Arthur Schopenhauer and Friedrich Nietzsche. We will
merely touch on some of these thinkers, delving more deeply
into others.

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Kolak and Thompson, eds., Longman Standard History of

Philosophy
Sorell, Descartes: A Very Short Introduction
Ayer, Hume: A Very Short Introduction
Scruton, Kant: A Very Short Introduction
Singer, Marx: A Very Short Introduction
Tanner, Nietzsche A Very Short Introduction

Recommended Reading: Bertrand Russell, A History of

Philosophy

GRADING AND REQUIREMENTS:

There will be two in-class tests, each worth 25%,
consisting of True-False, Multiple-Choice, and Fill-in-the-
Blank questions on the readings and lectures. A rough
indication of the timing and the material covered on each
of these tests is given in the Outline above (though this
is subject to revision). The course will also include two
writing assignments, each worth 25%, one where students
choose from a selection of essay questions, and another
consisting of a paper on a topic of the student’s choice.
Assignment sheets elaborating on these will be distributed
at the appropriate time.

OUTLINE OF TOPICS:

I. Philosophical Response to the New Science

A. Francis Bacon Kolak and Thomson (hereafter,

‘text’), pp. 478-501
B. Rene Descartes
1. Text, pp. 387-391; Sorell, Ch’s 1-10
2. Text, pp. 391-398; Sorell, Ch’s 11-14
3. Text, pp. 413-423; Sorell, Ch’s 15-20

II. Rationalism

A. Benedict Spinoza Text, pp. 423-426;

Definitions, Axioms, and Propositions — but
omit the Proofs (unless you are feeling
ambitious) — pp. 427-447; pp. 448f
B. Gottfried Leibniz Text, pp. 449-452;
selections from Discourse on Metaphysics, #’s 13-
15, 30; Monadology; pp. 474f

III. Empiricism
 A. John Locke Text, pp. 520-522; Bk I, Ch’s 1 and 2,
pp. 523-525; Bk II. Ch XXVII, pp. 535-541; Bk
III, Ch III, pp. 541-544; pp. 563f
B. George Berkeley Text, pp. 565-567; p. 598
C. David Hume
1. Text, pp. 599-602; Ayer, Ch’s 1 and 2
2. Text, pp. 635-644; Ayer, Ch 3
3. Text, pp. 607-618, 620-627, 631-634, 645f;
Ayer, Ch 4

Test #1

IV, Critical Philosophy and Idealism

A. Immanuel Kant
1. Text, pp.649f, 659-662; Scruton, Ch’s 1 and
2
2. Text, pp. 662-682, 696-703; Scruton, Ch 3
3. Text, pp. 683-697, 722-725; Scruton, Ch’s 4
and 8
B. G. W. F. Hegel Text, 726-732, 744f
V. Nineteenth Century Reactions

A. Karl Marx
1. Text, pp. 862f; Singer, Ch’s 1-3
2. Text, pp. 875-886; Singer, 4-6
3. Text, pp. 864-874; Singer, Ch’s 5-10

B. Arthur Schopenhauer Text, pp. 745-747f, 777

C. Friedrich Nietzsche
1. Text, pp. 791-792f; Tanner, Ch’s 1-3
2. Text, pp. 793-814; Tanner, Ch’s 4-8
3. Text, pp. 815-821; Tanner, Ch 9 and Postlude

Test #2

NOTE ON READINGS

Students will be expected to have completed the assigned

readings before
the lectures and discussions on the relevant topics, then
to reread the
assigned pages afterwards. If, after the second reading,
there are parts that
are still confusing, or about which you have questions or
objections, it is
important to bring up those concerns in class at the
earliest opportunity,
rather than crossing your fingers, as it were, and hoping
for the best.
ATTENDANCE:

Regular (if not perfect) attendance and participation in

class is strongly recommended. If you do not show up for
class — or if you merely show up, unprepared — you cannot
expect to learn much. Past experience has taught me to
back up this advice with a sanction. Consequently, if you
accumulate four unexcused absences you will have five
points deducted from your next test. Classes start
promptly at 12:30 and are not over until 1:45.

INCOMPLETES:

You cannot get credit for this course without completing

all of the requirements. Moreover, getting a grade of
Incomplete is not automatic. Unless you have applied for
and received permission to take an Incomplete before the
last day of the course, you will receive an F for the
course if there are still assignments outstanding. The
requisite form is available in the Arts and Humanities
office.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:

Cheating or plagiarism of any sort will not be tolerated.

Every piece of work you turn in must be entirely your own.
Writing a paper means both expressing your own thoughts and
expressing them in your own words. You may not copy
unquoted passages from our texts, from any other texts, or
from the internet, even if the passages are brief. No one
else may write a paper for you, whether in whole or in
part. Any cheating or plagiarism on any assignment will
automatically result in the student receiving an F for the
course. In addition to this grade penalty, the case may be
presented to the Office of the Dean of Students, in which
case the student may be subject to further disciplinary
action, such as suspension or dismissal from the
university.