NINETEENTH CENTURY
THOUGHT AND CULTURE
Fall 1999
T/Th 9:40-11:10
Biology-Psychology 5
Email: fritzman@lclark.edu
Phone: 503-768-7477 (voice mail)
Office: Miller 318
Hours: MWF 10:30-2:30; TTh 11:30-3:00; & by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Charles
Baudelaire: "Let us not say -- Other ways than ours, rather: Ways more
honored then than now."
Walter Benjamin:
"There is no document of civilization which is not at the same time
a document of barbarism. And just as such a document is not free of
barbarism, barbarism taints also the manner in which it was transmitted
from one owner to another. A historical materialist therefore dissociates
himself from it as far as possible. He regards it as his task to brush
history against the grain."
In this course, we will
study 19th century philosophy. We will focus our attention on the relationships
between history and philosophy, institutions and ideas, liberalism and
radicalism, reform and revolution, as well as the contrast between naturalism
and historicism. There are eight required texts for this course:
Immanual Kant,
Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics and Perpetual Peace and Other
Essays.
Johann Fichte, The
Vocation of Man.
Slavoj Zizek / F.W.J.
von Schelling, The Abyss of Freedom / Ages of the World.
G.W.F. Hegel, Introduction
to the Philosophy of History.
Karl Marx & Friedrich
Engels, The German Ideology.
Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond
Good and Evil.
Charles S. Peirce, The
Essential Writings.
These books are listed in
the order in which they will be read. There are several translations
and editions of each of these books, and you may use any of them. In
preparation for each class meeting, you should have read the assigned
material. You should arrive in class with prepared questions or comments
about something in the assigned reading.
There will be 26 precis,
5 take-home examinations, and 1 argumentative paper (which includes
a prospectus, draft, and mandatory rewrite). The precis will
be weighted equally, and together will count for 10% of your final grade.
The examinations will be weighted equally, and together will count for
60% of your final grade. The argumentative paper will count for 25%
of your final grade (the prospectus of the paper will be worth 5%, the
draft will be worth 5%, and the rewrite will be worth 15%). In addition,
5% of your final grade will be based on participation and attendance.
The grading scale is as follows: A = 90%-100%, B = 80%-89%, C = 70%-79%,
D = 60%-69%, and F = 0%-59%.
A precis will be
due almost every class session. Each precis will be one typed
page&endash;never longer&endash;double-spaced, with 1 inch margins on
the right & left sides and the top & bottom. It must be at least
3/4 of a page in length. Use a 12-point courier or palatino font. There
will be no spelling or grammatical errors in your precis. Your
name will typed in the upper right-hand corner. In each precis,
you will summarize&endash;in your own words, without using any quotes&endash;the
assigned reading's main claims, as well as the reasons which are given
to support those claims. You will not include any opinion, evaluation,
or commentary. At the bottom of each precis, or on the back,
you will write one question that you have about the reading; this question
may be handwritten. You will receive 1 point for each precis
which meets all of the above requirements, and 2 points if the precis
is excellent. I never will accept a late precis, but I will allow
you to drop one.
The examinations will be
essay tests on the assigned reading material and the lectures. Each
examination should be 4-5 typed pages, double-spaced. Except for the
length, the examinations should follow the same format requirement as
the precis. Only under exceptional circumstances will you be
allowed to make up an examination!
The argumentative paper
should be 8-10 typed pages, double-spaced. Except for the length, the
paper should follow the same format requirement as the precis
(see the additional helps at the end of this syllabus). There should
be no spelling or grammatical errors in your paper. It must employ argumentation.
You will choose your thesis, but it must be based on the readings for
this course. This paper may emphasize either a historical or philosophical
interpretation. In either case, you should carefully state the problem
you intend to treat, explain its significance, assess its possible solutions,
propose an hypothesis, argue convincingly for that hypothesis, and eliminate
the major (published or imagined) competing hypotheses. You should use
three or more books or articles (for instructions on using The Philosopher's
Index, see http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/courses/philindx.htm). Several
weeks before the draft is due, you will submit a prospectus of this
paper in which you: (1) indicate the topic and thesis of your paper,
(2) fully describe the problem or issue to be treated, (3) outline your
anticipated procedure and probable conclusion, and (4) include an annotated
bibliography of works to be consulted (a minimum of three books or articles,
with at least a paragraph discussing the relevance of each work to your
project). A word to the wise: it would be a marvelous idea to begin
thinking today about what your thesis will be. I want you to succeed,
and so I am requiring you to make appointments to speak with me outside
of class prior to submitting your prospectus, your draft, and your rewrite.
I will suggest useful resources, and&endash;if necessary&endash;point
out potential problems. When submitting your rewrite, you must hand
in both the rewrite and the copy of your draft on which I have written
comments. Except under the most extraordinary circumstances, I will
not accept a late prospectus, draft, or rewrite.
No doubt you have realized&endash;26
precis, 5 examinations, and an argumentative paper that includes
a prospectus, draft, & rewrite&endash;this course will require a
lot of writing. Why? Because writing can create knowledge, and reasons
often are found by writing. We write about what we already know, but
we also produce knowledge as we write. Not only do we write down our
thoughts, we also discover what we think as we write. Flannery O'Connor
observes, "I write because I don't know what I think until I read what
I have to say." The more you write, the more you will know, and the
more you will discover what you think. As Rebecca West notes, "I really
write to find out what I know about something and what is to be known
about something...."
This class will be successful
only if there is a high degree of class participation, and so I want
you in class participating. For each class session, you will receive
1 point if you attend and participate. Further, I will not accept make-up
work unless you can document the reason for your absence. Documenting
the reason for your absence means providing a note from, for example,
your doctor explaining why you were absent. Serious illnesses and emergencies
will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Throughout the course you
are expected to read carefully the assigned material. It is impossible
to do well in this course without reading and studying the books. You
should spend a minimum of 3 hours preparing for each class session.
I suggest that you read the assigned material at least twice and that
you take notes on what you read. You are expected to attend all class
sessions, come to class having read thoroughly the assigned material,
and to contribute to the discussions. Unlike ordinary studies, in philosophy
there are few right and wrong answers. However, there are better and
worse arguments and ideas, usually in direct proportion to thoughtfulness
and care. What is important is that you think for yourself, and that
you develop and defend your own ideas. It would be an excellent idea
to write drafts or outlines of your precis, assessments, and
paper, and to have a comrade read them to check on spelling, grammar,
development of arguments, and so forth. You are strongly encouraged
to discuss the class material, your ideas, your puzzles and difficulties
with each other. A word to the wise: Find a study partner to discuss
things with outside of class. However, when it comes to finally writing
your thoughts down, do your own writing; it is the only way you will
get the full benefit of your own efforts. I will be happy to discuss
ideas with you, read outlines and rough drafts, and so forth. That is
partly why I keep office hours.
A final word to the wise.
It is not difficult to do well in this class, but it also is easy to
do badly. Let me talk about the bad stuff first. You will receive a
major grade reduction&endash;or fail this course&endash;if you do not
read the material, seldom participate in class discussions, do not write
your precis, do not take the examinations, do not write your
paper, plagiarize, cheat, and so forth. About plagiarizing and cheating.
All students are expected to follow Lewis & Clark College's Academic
Integrity Policy: this is stated in Lewis & Clark College's College
Catalog and at http://www.lclark.edu/COLLEGE/CATAL/POPR/popracin.html;
further information is at http://www.lclark.edu/~stlife/acadint.html
and in The Pathfinder. Except for highly unusual circumstances, plagiarizers
and cheaters will be given an "F" for the entire course (they will not
be allowed to drop or withdraw from the course). I also will turn their
cases over to the Honor Board; usually, I will recommend that disciplinary
penalties be assessed in addition to failing grades. It is never in
your interest to plagiarize or cheat!
Now for the good stuff.
With a concerted effort you can do well in this class. To do well, you
must participate in class discussions, read and study the assigned material,
write the precis, critical discussion, & paper, do your own
work, be in class (almost) all of the time, etc. I do not grade on a
curve, and so there is no good reason why you should not get an "A"
for the course!
Course policy on disability
accommodation: Students with established needs or circumstances relevant
to academic performance must declare this within 1 week of the beginning
of the course. If such needs or circumstances develop during the semester,
they must be declared and documented as soon as is practical. Failure
to observe this requirement will preclude subsequently citing such needs
or circumstances as an excuse for unsatisfactory performance.
COURSE SCHEDULE: T-Th
T, 8/31 Introduction to
the course.
Th, 9/2 Kant, Prolegomena
to Any Future Metaphysics, pages vii-xv & 1-64; precis.
T, 9/7 Kant, Prolegomena
to Any Future Metaphysics, pages 64-122; precis.
Th, 9/9 Kant, Perpetual
Peace and Other Essays, pages 1-60; precis.
T, 9/14 Kant, Perpetual
Peace and Other Essays, pages 61-143; precis.
Th, 9/16 Fichte, The Vocation
of Man, pages vii-xvi & 1-65; precis.
T, 9/21 Fichte, The Vocation
of Man, pages vii-xvi & 66-123; precis. First examination, on Kant,
due.
Th, 9/23 Schelling, Ages
of the World, pages 107-145; precis.
T, 9/28 Schelling, Ages
of the World, pages 146-182; precis.
Th, 9/30 Hegel, Introduction
to the Philosophy of History, pages vii-xvi & 3-56; precis.
F, 10/1 Last day to speak
with me outside of class about your prospectus.
T, 10/5 Hegel, Introduction
to the Philosophy of History, pages 57-106; precis. Prospectus due.
Th, 10/7 Class canceled:
Fall Break.
T, 10/12 Marx & Engels,
The German Ideology, pages vii-x, 569-574, & 1-71; precis.
Th, 10/14 Marx & Engels,
The German Ideology, pages 71-147; precis. Second examination&endash;on
Fichte, Schelling, and Hegel&endash;due.
T, 10/19 Marx & Engels,
The German Ideology, pages 147-208; precis.
Th, 10/21 Marx & Engels,
The German Ideology, pages 208-285; precis.
T, 10/26 Marx & Engels,
The German Ideology, pages 479-510; precis.
Th, 10/28 Discussion of
Marx & Engels.
F, 10/29 Last day to speak
with me outside of class about your draft.
T, 11/2 Nietzsche, Beyond
Good and Evil, pages 1-61; precis. Draft due.
Th, 11/4 Nietzsche, Beyond
Good and Evil, pages 63-131; precis.
T, 11/9 Nietzsche, Beyond
Good and Evil, pages 133-190; precis.
Th, 11/11 Nietzsche, Beyond
Good and Evil, pages 191-264; precis. Third examination, on Marx &
Engels, due.
T, 11/16 Peirce, The Essential
Writings, pages xi-xvi, 1-50.
Th, 11/18 Peirce, The Essential
Writings, pages xi-xvi, 119-137; precis.
F, 11/19 Last day to speak
with me outside of class about my comments on your draft.
T, 11/23 Peirce, The Essential
Writings, pages 137-157; precis. Fourth examination, on Nietzsche, due.
Th, 11/25 Class canceled:
Thanksgiving Break
T, 11/30 Peirce, The Essential
Writings, pages 158-174; precis.
Th, 12/2 Peirce, The Essential
Writings, pages 261-281; precis.
T, 12/7 Peirce, The Essential
Writings, pages 281-299; precis. Rewrite due.
Th, 12/9 Class canceled:
Reading Day.
M, 12/13 Final examination,
on Peirce, due.
WRITING A PHILOSOPHY PAPER
Wright
Morris: "You write -- and find you have something to say."
A philosophy paper is argumentative
rather than informative. A informative paper is one which simply reports
or presents the facts as either you or someone else understands them.
There are four primary rules you need to follow in writing a argumentative
philosophy paper: First, you should clarify key ideas. For example,
are the philosophically troublesome ideas defined? Are the theories
in question clearly stated and exemplified? Second, you must test the
soundness of the arguments for or against the theories in question.
Are the premises true? Third, you should evaluate the theories. Are
the assumptions correct? Are the consequences plausible? Fourth, most
importantly, you must support what you assert with reasons! Are your
claims backed with arguments? Do they follow from other claims already
established?
You should not support your
case merely by: labeling the case as your own; asserting the case's
superiority over the competition; citing an authority, whether philosophical
or scientific. You must never use ad hominum arguments&endash;that is,
attacking a person's character or circumstances, rather than criticizing
that person's arguments.
Your paper will be evaluated
on the following sorts of criteria: Is your case supported with arguments?
Is the paper clearly written? Have you fairly and accurately presented
other's views? Is your paper well organized? Have you tried to think
for yourself?
Organizational strategies:
Formulating the problem:
Focus the general topic you have decided to deal with into a specific
question or statement which will be the thesis of your paper. Clarify
key terms. Think through any assumption of the question or statement
you are attempting to answer or discuss&endash;how do these influence
the kind of answers that might be given?
Deciding on the format.
Some common formats are: Comparing and contrasting two or more theories
in order to determine the most adequate one for the problem. Criticizing
a single theory or argument. Defending another philosopher's view against
a mistaken criticism. Supporting an original theory of your own.
Ways to incorporate another
philosopher's view: Restating a philosopher's argument or theory in
a clearer, more incisive way. Applying that argument or theory to areas
not discussed by its original proponent. Admitting that the view is
mistaken in places, but attempting to remedy those deficiencies and
thus producing a modified view.
Some features of a good
introduction: It should state the problem to which you will address
yourself. It should state what you intend to show&endash;for example,
that a theory should be modified or that one is preferable to another.
It should state how you propose to show what you have stated&endash;for
example, by showing that one theory rests on highly questionable assumptions.
To achieve coherence, ask
yourself the following questions as you re-read your first draft sentence
by sentence, paragraph by paragraph: What is the relevance of this passage,
and does it fit clearly here? Is the passage an essential link in my
argument? Is it used to clarify something? Does it tell the reader where
I am and where I am going? If it is an argument, is it relevant to what
I am trying to show? Does this sentence add anything to the substance
of my essay? Does my introduction really state my main point?
Achieving clarity. Some
rules of thumb for presenting a clear statement of your ideas: Avoid
vagueness, particularly of key terms and sentences; a vague expression
is one which fails to specify exactly to what objects or circumstances
it should be applied -- give definitions, use examples, restate things
in different words, etc. Avoid ambiguity; ambiguity happens when the
reader is unsure which among several possible meanings of an expression
is intended. Minimize your use of technical or profound-sounding expressions
like "reality," "absolute," "subjective," or "cosmic." Do not rely heavily
on metaphors and analogies; metaphors can be used in addition to, never
in place of, argumentation. Make what you mean and what you say harmonize;
make sure that your words actually say what you intend.
Using examples: Remember
that examples are not arguments, but illustrating devices. Think through
carefully the relation between the examples and what it is you wish
to illustrate.
Writing well: Keep your
sentences short! Use devices that tell your readers where you have been
and where you expect to go&endash;for example, "Let us now turn to our
first argument," or "Following my presentation of theory X, I shall
offer two criticisms of it." Do not pad your paper with too many examples,
restatements of the obvious, and extended quotations. Use active voice
rather than passive voice&endash;for example, instead of writing "Theory
X was earlier shown by me to be false," write "I have demonstrated X
to be false."
Guidelines for Submitting
Finished Papers: All papers must be typed, double-spaced. You should
number your pages. Your paper should not contain any spelling or grammatical
errors. Do not quadruple-space between paragraphs. If at all possible,
use a computer or a word-processor when writing your paper; this will
make revising much easier. Do not make corrections on your paper&endash;if
you find a mistake, retype that page. The copy you submit must be clean
and printed with a dark ribbon. Margins should be 1 inch at the top,
bottom, and on the right & left sides. If you are using a computer,
use a size 12 palatino or courier font. Papers must meet the required
length. Papers must be titled. Do not include a title page. In the upper-right
corner of the first page, type your name, the course number, and the
date. Staple your pages once in the upper-left corner. Do not use folders
or those plastic things -- use a stapler. You must keep an extra copy
of your paper -- if I cannot find your paper, I will assume that you
did not submit one. When you submit a rewrite, you must hand in both
the rewrite and the copy of your draft on which I have written comments.
All papers must be turned in on time!
Writing an excellent paper
can get you more than a good grade. It can serve as a writing sample
when applying to graduate schools. There is honor and glory too! There
are a number of philosophy journals for undergraduates. Here is a list
of some of them: Aporia, Carleton University Student Journal of Philosophy,
The Dialectic: University of New Hampshire Undergraduate Philosophy
Journal, Dialogue, Discourse, The Dualist, Episteme, Exordium, Hampshire
College Journal of Philosophy, The Lyceum, The Philosopher, Philosophika:
The Internet Journal of Philosophy, Public Sphere, Purdue Calumet Undergraduate
Conference in English and Philosophy, Santa Clara Undergraduate Philosophy
Conference, Student Philosophical Journal, and Student Philosophy Online.
Also, there are philosophy
conferences for undergraduates. For information about undergraduate
conferences, visit http://www.earlham.edu/~phil/undjourn.htm -- this
site has information about undergraduate journals too.
503-768-7477
503-768-7359 (fax)
Updated
on 22 December 2001
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