Christopher Newport University PHIL 202 Modern Philosophy Stephen Strehle, Instructor Spring, 2023 I. Introduction This course is designed to introduce the student to the major figures and movements in the modern philosophical tradition. The course begins in the sixteenth century with the birth of modern philosophy and continues in a chronological manner tracing the development of philosophy unto the present time. Among the figures and movements discussed are included the following: Rationalism (Descartes, Paine, etc.), Political Philosophy (Locke, Marx, etc.), Skepticism and Critical Philosophy (Hume and Kant), German Idealism (Hegel, Schopenhauer), Existentialism (Kierkegaard, Heidegger, etc.), Linguistics (Wittgenstein, Derrida, etc.), Postmodernism (Rorty, Foucault, etc.), AntiPostmodernism (Chomsky, Habermas, etc.), Feminism (Wollstonecraft, Beauvoir, etc.), Mysticism (Thoreau, Otto, etc.), Eastern Philosophy (Buddhism, Taoism, etc.), Mind/Body Problem (Searle and Ryle), Philosophy of Science (Popper, Einstein, etc.), Ethics (Singer), and Analytical Philosophy (Quine, Putnam, etc.). II. Course Procedures and Requirements A. Much of the classroom will be devoted to lectures by the instructor. Discussion, comments, and questions are encouraged. B. The Professor has prepared an outline of the class material for the convenience of the student and has placed it on Scholar. The student may bring a laptop computer to class and fill in his or her notes, but the computer cannot be used for any other purpose in the classroom. C. Two exams are scheduled for this semester, a mid-term and a final. Exams are based upon material presented in class, as well as the textbook. The student will receive study questions a couple of weeks in advance of each exam. One week before the exam the student will take a quiz over the study questions, using the notes that were assembled during the past week when answering the questions, and then the class will review the material together during the class period. The instructor will select a few of these questions during the exam period for the purpose of testing the student. A blue book is required for each exam. D. The textbook for this course is Norman Melchert and David R. Morrow, The Great Conversation: Descartes through Derrida and Quine, eighth edition (New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2019). This work will be discussed during the class in accordance with the following schedule: Section 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Chapters 16 and 17, pp. 340-84 Chapter 20, pp. 465-95 Chapter 22, pp. 521-44 Chapter 24, pp. 562-92 Chapter 27, pp. 651-79 Chapter 28, pp. 680-97 Chapter 29, pp. 698-721 Date ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ Quizzes covering the reading material will be given at the discretion of the professor. The student should take notes while reading the material and may consult the notes while taking the quiz. There are no makeup quizzes, but the professor will drop the lowest grade. E. One paper is required for this course. To complete the assignment the student must select a philosopher or philosophical movement which intrigues him or her. The student is then to read at least 300 pages of material on the subject and write a fourpage, typewritten synopsis of it. Each page should contain no more than 350 words (double-spaced). Please try to create synthetic statements that put elements of the entire work(s) together rather than summarize as you proceed in your reading. Read the work(s) first and then attempt to put the various ideas together. The paper should follow a standard style for writing (Turabian, Chicago, MLA, APA, etc.), but what is most significant to its grade is good English and good comprehension. The assignment is due a few weeks after mid-term (TBA). The student must turn it in through SafeAssign and provide a hard copy for the professor. The paper should include a bibliography of the material used and the pages of that material consulted. Note: When writing a paper, it is always helpful to have others read it and offer criticisms. The instructor encourages the student to write the paper as soon as possible and come back to it later with his or her own fresh perspective, as well as the criticisms of others. To facilitate the process the student should take advantage of the Center for Success (Newport Hall, first floor, room 123). E. A student must produce his or her own work. All work in the course is subject to the CNU honor code (see College Handbook). F. Except for reasonable cause, students are expected to be present at all regularly scheduled class meetings. Presence depends on listening to the instruction, answering questions when called upon, and participating in the discussion of the material. Judgments regarding an excused absence cause are the prerogative of the instructor. Students who warrant an excused absence must present oral or written evidence to him. The instructor reserves the right to consider class attendance and participation as a factor when considering a student’s mark. G. If a student needs to contact the instructor outside of class, he/she may meet with him during office hours or set up an appointment. His office is located in McMurran 263, and his office hours are as follows: T and Th 11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The phone number of the department secretary, Tara Dixon, is 594-8827, and her office is found in the same building and complex. If you need to contact the instructor immediately, it is best to call his home phone number (599-4208). III. Special Needs and Services University Statement on Diversity and Inclusion: The Christopher Newport University community engages and respects different viewpoints, understands the cultural and structural context in which those viewpoints emerge, and questions the development of our own perspectives and values, as these are among the fundamental tenets of a liberal arts education. Accordingly, we affirm our commitment to a campus culture that embraces the full spectrum of human attributes, perspectives, and disciplines, and offers every member of the University the opportunity to become their best self. Understanding and respecting differences can best develop in a community where members learn, live, work, and serve among individuals with diverse worldviews, identities, and values. We are dedicated to upholding the dignity and worth of all members of this academic community such that all may engage effectively and compassionately in a pluralistic society. If you have specific questions, suggestions or concerns regarding diversity on campus please contact Diversity.Inclusion@CNU.edu Disabilities/Accessibility: In order for a student to receive an accommodation due to a disability, that disability must be on record in the Office of Student Affairs, 3rd Floor, David Student Union (DSU). If you have a diagnosed disability, please contact Jacquelyn Barnes, Student Disability Support Specialist in Student Affairs (594-7160) to discuss your needs. Students with documented disabilities are to notify the instructor at least seven days prior to the point at which they require an accommodation (the first day of class is recommended), in private, if accommodation is needed. The instructor will provide students with disabilities with the reasonable accommodations approved and directed by the Office of Student Affairs. Work completed before the student notifies the instructor of his/her disability may be counted toward the final grade at the sole discretion of the instructor. Success: I want you to succeed in this course and at Christopher Newport. I encourage you to contact me during office hours or to schedule an appointment to discuss course content or to answer questions you have. If I become concerned about your course performance, attendance, engagement, or well-being, I will contact you first. I also may submit a referral through our Captains Care Program. The referral will be received by the Center for Academic Success as well as other departments when appropriate (Counseling Services, Office of Student Engagement). If you are an athlete, the Manager of Athletic Academic Success Programs will be notified. Someone will contact you to help determine what will help you succeed. Please remember that this is a means for me to support you and help foster your success at Christopher Newport. Public Health The university will provide guidance on public health issues and students will be expected to comply with university protocols. Academic Support: The Center for Academic Success offers free tutoring assistance for Christopher Newport students in several academic areas. Center staff offer individual assistance and/or workshops on various study strategies to help you perform your best in your courses. The center also houses the Alice F. Randall Writing Center. Writing consultants can help you at any stage of the writing process, from invention, to development of ideas, to polishing a final draft. The Center is not a proofreading service, but consultants can help you to recognize and find grammar and punctuation errors in your work as well as provide assistance with global tasks. Contact them as early in the writing process as you can! You may contact the Center for Academic Success to request a tutor, confer with a writing consultant, obtain a schedule of workshops, or make an appointment to talk with a staff member about study skills and strategies. The Center is located in Christopher Newport Hall, first floor, room 123. You may email academicsuccess@cnu.edu or call (757) 594-7684. Course Materials: All content created and assembled by the faculty member and used in this course is to be considered intellectual property owned by the faculty member and Christopher Newport University. It is provided solely for the private use of the students currently enrolled in this course. To ensure the free and open discussion of ideas, students may not make available any of the original course content, including but not limited to lectures, discussions, videos, handouts, and/or activities, to anyone not currently enrolled in the course without the advance written permission of the instructor. This means that students may not record, download, screenshot, or in any way copy original course material for the purpose of distribution beyond this course. A violation may be considered theft. It is the student’s responsibility to protect course material when accessing it outside of the physical classroom space. IV. Class Schedule (Assignments in Bold Print) Tuesday Thursday First Week (Jan. 10 and 12) Syllabus Descartes, Montaigne, Pascal, Pane Hobbes, Rousseau, Locke Second Week (Jan. 17 and 19) Marx, Hume, Kant Melchert (Chap. 16 and 17), Hegel, Schopenhauer Third Week (Jan. 24 and 26) Kierkegaard, Unamuno, Sartre Melchert (Chap. 20), Dostoevsky, Camus Fourth Week (Jan. 31 and Feb. 2) Heidegger, Wittgenstein Melchert (Chap. 22), Study Questions, Nietzsche Fifth Week (Feb. 7 and 9) Dewey, Derrida Melchert (Chap.24) Sixth Week (Feb. 14 and 16) Review Exam I Seventh Week (Feb. 21 and 23) Rorty, Fish, Foucault Gadamer, Chomsky, Habermas Eighth Week (Feb. 28 and March 2) Habermas, Wollstonecraft, Mill, Friedan Melchert (Chap. 27), Daly, Gilligan, Beauvoir Ninth Week (March 7 and 9) No Class No Class Tenth Week (March 14 and 16) James Paper, Emerson, Thoreau Eleventh Week (March 21 and 23) Otto, Bataille, Buber Melchert (Chap. 28), Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism Twelfth Week (March 28 and 30) Searle, Ryle Melchert (Chap. 29), Popper, Kuhn Thirteenth Week (April 4 and 6) Darwin Einstein Fourteenth Week (April 11 and 13) Quantum Theory, Study Questions Ethics, Singer Fifteenth Week (April 18 and 20) Ethical Issues Quiz, Review Sixteenth Week (April 28, 11:00 a.m.) Exam V. Grade Calculus Exams Paper Quizzes 50% 25% 25% Note: Grades are typically measured on a ten-point scale.
