David L. Rouse
Office: Z 216
376-4577
E-mail:mailto:%20dlr9g@uvawise.edu
TEXTS: All readings for the course are available on the World Wide Web. Students are not required to purchase a textbook. Links to the readings are provided in the Course Schedule, below. The readings may be downloaded to either hard copy or to diskette, or both.
PURPOSE OF THE COURSE: The purpose of the course is to introduce the student to the Western philosophical heritage from the Copernican Revolution through the Enlightenment. Special focus will be given both to philosophy's contribution to the development of the Western cultural heritage and the way that heritage is reflected in philosophical literature.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING: Students are expected to attend class and do the assigned readings before each class session. The course grade will be based on two exams during the course and a comprehensive final. The final will constitute 40% of the course grade, the other two exams 20% each. The remaining 20% will be based on class participation.
Grades are assigned as follows.
92-100 A
90-91.9 A-
88-89.9 B+
82-87.9 B
80-81.9 B-
78-79.9 C+
72-78.9 C
70-71.9 C-
68-69.9 D+
62-68.9 D
60-61.9 D-
0-59.9 F
Students are expected to know and abide by the rules of The University of Virginia's College at Wise, including the Honor Code.
The lecture notes are best viewed with Microsoft Explorer.
|
Class |
Topic/Assignment |
|
15 Jan |
Introduction; The Medieval Background |
|
17 |
|
|
22 |
|
|
24 |
Rene Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy, Preface
, Synopsis
, Meditation
I , Meditation
II , Meditation
III , |
|
29 |
Descartes continued, Meditation IV , Meditation V , Meditation VI |
|
31 |
|
|
5 Feb |
Baruch Spinoza, The
Ethics |
|
7 |
Spinoza continued |
|
12 |
John Locke, Essay Concerning the Human Understanding |
|
|
Individual chapters assigned: |
|
14 |
Locke continued |
|
|
Exam 1 Study Guide |
|
19 |
Review |
|
21 |
Exam |
|
26 |
Gottfried Leibniz, The
Monadology |
|
28 |
Leibniz continued |
|
Mar 4 |
George Berkeley, A Treatise
Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge |
|
6 |
Berkeley continued |
|
18 |
David Hume, An
Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (edited text) |
|
20 |
Hume continued |
|
25 |
Review Exam 2 Study Guide |
|
27 |
Exam |
|
1 April |
Immanuel Kant, Critique
of Pure Reason (full text) |
|
|
Individual chapters assigned: |
|
3 |
Kant continued |
|
|
|
|
8 |
Kant continued |
|
|
|
|
10 |
Kant continued |
|
15 |
|
|
17 |
Kant continued |
|
22-5 May |
Review Final Exam Study Guide |
|
|
Final Exam |