University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Curriculum Proposal Form #3
New Course
Effective Term:
2117 (Fall 2011)
Subject Area - Course Number: PHILSPHY 347
Cross-listing:
(See Note #1 below)
Course Title: (Limited to 65 characters)
20th Century Philosophy
25-Character Abbreviation:
20 Cent Phil
Sponsor(s):
Christopher Calvert-Minor
Department(s):
Philosophy and Religious Studies
College(s):
{Select from drop-down list}
Consultation took place:
NA
Programs Affected:
Yes (list departments and attach consultation sheet)
Departments: Philosophy and Religious Studies
Philosophy, Religious Studies, Liberal Studies
Is paperwork complete for those programs? (Use "Form 2" for Catalog & Academic Report updates)
NA
Yes
Prerequisites:
will be at future meeting
Sophmore standing or 3 units of philosophy
Grade Basis:
Conventional Letter
S/NC or Pass/Fail
Course will be offered:
Part of Load
On Campus
Above Load
Off Campus - Location
College:
Letters and Sciences
Dept/Area(s): Philosophy and Religious Studies
Instructor:
Note: If the course is dual-listed, instructor must be a member of Grad Faculty.
Check if the Course is to Meet Any of the Following:
Technological Literacy Requirement
Diversity
Writing Requirement
General Education Option: GH
Note: For the Gen Ed option, the proposal should address how this course relates to specific core courses, meets the goals of General Education
in providing breadth, and incorporates scholarship in the appropriate field relating to women and gender.
Credit/Contact Hours: (per semester)
Total lab hours:
Number of credits:
0
3
Total lecture hours:
Total contact hours:
48
48
Can course be taken more than once for credit? (Repeatability)
No
Yes
If "Yes", answer the following questions:
No of times in major:
No of times in degree:
Revised 10/02
No of credits in major:
No of credits in degree:
1 of 8
Proposal Information: (Procedures can be found at http://acadaff.uww.edu/Handbook/Procedures-Form3.htm)
Course justification: This proposal is the result of updating courses in the department’s history of philosophy sequence
in light of current faculty expertise and developments in the area of philosophy. This course takes relevant 20th century
materials from two courses that will be deleted; specifically, PHILSPHY 345 Contemporary Philosophy, which covered
materials from 1800-1950, and PHILSPHY 343 American Philosophy. This course will also include important
philosophical developments that occurred after 1950.
Relationship to program assessment objectives: By enabling students to identify and differentiate between significant
philosophical figures of the 20th century, understand the intellectual and historical relationships between these
philosophers, critically engage 20th century work in epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and social philosophy, interpret
and discuss arguments and theories, this course contributes to the following subject matter (SM), cognitive development
(CD), and skills objectives (SK) of the philosophy program assessment program: identify major fields in philosophy
(SM1); differentiate between major figures in philosophy (SM2); critically appraise philosophical arguments and theories
(CDI); interpret different ethical theories (CD3); apply basic methods and techniques of reasoning and argumentation
(SK1); develop philosophical arguments (SK2); and analyze philosophical texts (SK3). Class discussion, papers, and
essay exams will also enable students to arrive at their own informed position on philosophical issues (CD4) and to write
philosophically (SK4).
Relationship to the Goals of General Education: This course meets the very same goals of General Education as the
general education humanities courses it replaces. By having students read, discuss, and critically analyze, in oral and
written modalities, primary texts by major 20th century philosophers in the areas of epistemology, metaphysics, ethics,
and social philosophy, by having students understand the historic relations between these philosophers and their
subsequent history of influence, and by moving students to arrive at informed views concerning this material, this course
will enhance students’ abilities: “to think critically and analytically integrate and synthesize knowledge, and draw
conclusions from complex information” (Goal 1); “to make sound ethical judgments based on the development of a
personal value system, on an understanding of shared cultural heritage, and knowledge of past success, failures, and
consequences of individual roles and societal choice” (Goal 2); “to acquire a base of knowledge common to educated
persons and the capacity to expand that basis over their lifetimes” (Goal 4); “to communicate effectively in written, oral,
and symbolic form” (Goal 5); “to understand the natural and physical world, the process by which concepts are developed
and modified” (Goal 6); and “to develop skills necessary for analysis and problem solving’ (Goal 8).
Relationship to the Core Courses: Materials from this course will enhance students’ studies from several of the core
courses. The aesthetical theories of a number of these philosophers will contribute to the students’ understanding of the
role of art in society (World of the Arts); the relationship between the individual and society is a issue central to the
thought of figures such as Heidegger, Sartre, Irigaray, and Lyotard (Individual and Society); the development of Analytic
and Continental Philosophies in the 20th Century as different responses to Anglo-European idealism will enable students
to appreciate the development of cultural values (Historical Perspectives); and since many of the philosophers and
philosophical ideas considered in this course are read in World of Ideas, students will obtain a more philosophically
grounded exposure to these significant thinkers.
Budgetary impact: Almost nothing. The class will not require additional staffing as it replaces PHILSPHY 345 in the
class rotation, being offered every other fall semester as part of load. The library holdings supporting this class are
adequate, and the department’s library allocations budget will be more than sufficient for minor supplements to current
library holdings.
Course description: This course concentrates on the main movements in 20th century
philosophy. Selections from principal works of major philosophers of the period, such as Ayer, Wittgenstein, Quine,
Carnap, Heidegger, Sartre, Irigary, Lyotard, and Derrida will be critically examined.
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If dual listed, list graduate level requirements for the following:
1. Content (e.g., What are additional presentation/project requirements?)
2. Intensity (e.g., How are the processes and standards of evaluation different for graduates and undergraduates? )
3. Self-Directed (e.g., How are research expectations differ for graduates and undergraduates?)
Course objectives and tentative course syllabus: See attached syllabus.
2oth Century Philosophy
The Analytic & Continental Traditions
Philosophy 347
Fall 2011
REQUIRED TEXT
Chris Calvert-Minor (Professor)
Class
Email
Phone
Office
Office Hours
Twentieth Century Philosophy, edited by F. Baird & W.
Kaufmann (UWW rental system)
philosophers, too, eventually made the full turn to
language as the “house of being.”
COURSE OVERVIEW
Twentieth century philosophy is, perhaps, best
identified by the sedimentation of two philosophical
traditions: analytic and continental. Broadly
speaking, the analytic tradition arose from its
rejection of speculative metaphysics and from its
turn to language and science as the proper subject
matters of philosophic inquiry. In
equally broad strokes, the continental
tradition sought to fix and overcome
the problems of its speculative
predecessors.
In
pronounced
Hegelian overtones, continental
philosophers attempted to capture
the human experience and condition
within such terms as “consciousness”
and “being.”
Yet, continental
Thus, both the analytic and continental traditions
can be said to have made the linguistic turn, but
there is much to be said on what this similarity
amounts to. In fact, there is much to be said on
what similarities and dissimilarities exist between
the two traditions.
This is an
ongoing debate in philosophy, and
one we will engage in as the focal
point of our course.
In this course we will study a handful
of the major philosophic thinkers of
the twentieth century from both the
analytic
and
the
continental
traditions.
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being mindful of our treatment and respect of
others.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon successful completion of this course, you
should be able to:
1. Identify and differentiate between the
philosophies of major figures in the 20th century.
2. Understand the intellectual and historical
relationships between philosophers of the 20th
century.
3. Interpret and discuss different metaphysical,
epistemological, and ethical theories,
4. Critically assess philosophical arguments and
theories.
5. Develop philosophical arguments.
6. Write philosophically.
7. Arrive at an informed view on issues and themes
in 20th century philosophy.
ASSIGNMENTS
Here are the assignments for our course with their
point values:
First Paper (6 pgs)
250
Midterm Exam
200
Second Paper (6 pgs)
250
Final Exam
200
Class Participation
100
Point Total
1000
This is my grading scale: A/940-1000, A-/900-939,
B+/870-899, B/840-869, B-/800-839, C+/770-799,
C/740-769, C-/700-739, D+/670-699, D/640-669,
D-/600-639, F/0-599.
Late work will not be accepted unless there is a
well-documented, legitimate reason.
Likewise,
make-up exams will not be given unless there is a
well-documented, legitimate reason.
PREREQUISITES
The prerequisites for this course are sophomore
standing or three units of philosophy.
I will provide more detailed instructions on these
assignments as their due dates approach.
EXPECTATIONS
Philosophy classes thrive on good discussions;
discussions help to process the theories we will be
reading and to spark the creativity to critique and
develop novel insights based on them. Thus, you
should attend every class and be ready to discuss
the material for the day. But more is needed than
attendance; effective participation means adequate
preparation. And adequate preparation means that
you need to do the assigned readings and have
already begun the process of digesting them. You
will find that philosophy is best learned as it is
practiced in frequent, informed dialogue.
ON WRITING
We will work hard on your writing both on your
essay exams and your Final Papers. Do not be
afraid of criticism and rough drafts turned in early
to me for comments almost ALWAYS make for
better papers and better grades if the comments
are taken seriously.
I will evaluate your writing according to five areas:
(1) Focus/Thesis
(2) Organization & Coherence
(3) Analysis & Argumentation
(4) Documentation
(5) Language Use & Conventions
A WORD ABOUT “SAFE SPACE”
We are all different people coming from different
backgrounds. My hope is that in our discussions
we can all respect these differences in a way that
both allows us to be who we are, while also
allowing others to be who they are. Let’s make this
a “safe space” by refraining from attacking people’s
identities, and yet, still welcome the expression of
any and all ideas. In a nutshell, let’s philosophize
and critique our hearts out at the level of ideas
When I hand out your final paper assignment, I will
explain how to do well in each of these areas. You
will earn points for each of these areas.
For a great resource on writing (e.g., getting
started, style, grammar, organization, citation),
please consult www.wisc.edu/writing. Please also
consult The Writing Center in McCutchan Hall for
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excellent hands-on help. Their website is
www.uww.edu/acadsupport/tutorial/writing.html.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Please be aware that plagiarism is a serious offense.
Refraining from plagiarism is easy – simply avoid
using someone else’s words as your own. If you
quote or paraphrase a source other than your own
mind, please use proper citation.
For more
information on what is plagiarism, please consult
your student handbook.
My assumption is that all of you will meet the
highest standards of academic integrity. In case I
am wrong, students who violate academic honesty
will be reported for Academic Misconduct and
subject to disciplinary measures up to and
including a grade of zero for the assignment, failure
of the course, and other sanctions described in
UWS Administrative Code Chp. 14.
ON PARTICIPATION
SPECIAL NEEDS
I do not have an attendance policy. Instead, I pay
close attention to your participation in class, and I
give you a participation grade at the end of the
course. Thus, if you do not attend class, you are
obviously not participating in class, and that will
adversely affect your grade.
Students with special needs should contact me
promptly so that I can make the appropriate
accommodations. For example, students needing
additional time for exams should see me
immediately. All discussions will be confidential.
UNIVERSITY POLICIES
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is dedicated to a safe, supportive & nondiscriminatory learning
environment. It is the responsibility of all undergraduate and graduate students to familiarize themselves with
University policies regarding Special Accommodations, Misconduct, Religious Beliefs Accommodation,
discrimination and Absence for University Sponsored Events. (For details please refer to the Undergraduate
and Graduate Timetables, the "Rights and Responsibilities" section of the Undergraduate Bulletin; the Academic
Requirements and Policies and the Facilities and Services sections of the Graduate Bulletin; and the "Student
Academic Disciplinary Procedures" [UWS chapter 14]; and the "Student Nonacademic Disciplinary Procedures"
[UWS Chapter 17]).
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Sample
Reading and Assignment Schedule
All readings are subject to change as we proceed.
Due dates for graded assignments will not change.
To understand the schedule, each reading and assignment is
to be completed by the class time it is assigned.
Dates
9/3
Topics
Introduction
Readings
Assignments
 None
The Analytic Tradition
9/8
9/10
9/15
9/17
9/22
9/24
9/29
10/1
10/6
10/8
Ayer
 Language, Truth, and Logic
Early Wittgenstein
 Tractatus
Early Wittgenstein
 Tractatus
Later Wittgenstein
 Philosophical Investigations
Later Wittgenstein
 Philosophical Investigations
10/13
10/15
Quine
Carnap
 “Two Dogmas of Empiricism”
 “The Elimination of
Metaphysics”
10/20
10/22
Review for Exam
MIDTERM EXAM
 None
 First Paper DUE (10/1)
 MIDTERM EXAM (10/22)
The Continental Tradition
10/27
10/29
11/3
11/5
11/10
11/12
Heidegger
 Introduction to Metaphysics
Heidegger
 Introduction to Metaphysics
Sartre
11/17
11/19
Irigaray
11/24
11/26
Lyotard
Thanksgiving
12/1
12/3
Lyotard
Derrida
12/8
12/10
Derrida
Review for Exam
12/15
FINAL EXAM (Tuesday)
 “Existentialism is a
Humanism”
 Speculum of the Other
Woman
 The Postmodern Condition






None
 Second Paper DUE
(11/24)
The Postmodern Condition
“Signature, Event, Context”
“Signature, Event, Context”
None
3:15-5:15 pm
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 FINAL EXAM
PHI 347: 20th Century Philosophy
Bibliography
The Analytic Tradition





A. J. Ayer, Language, Truth, and Logic (selections)
Ludwig Wittgenstein, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (most of it)
Ludwig Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations (selections)
W. V. O. Quine, “Two Dogmas of Empiricism”
Rudolph Carnap, “The Elimination of Metaphysics through Logical Analysis of
Language”
The Continental Tradition





Martin Heidegger, “On the Essence of Truth”
Jean-Paul Sartre, “Existentialism is a Humanism”
Luce Irigaray, Speculum of the Other Woman (selections)
Jean-François Lyotard, The Postmodern Condition (selections)
Jacques Derrida, “Signature, Event, Context”
Bibliography: UWW Library Supporting Materials (secondary sources)
Ayer, A. J. Central Questions of Philosophy. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1973.
Ayer, A. J. Language, Truth and Logic. New York: Dover Publications, 1952.
Hahn, Lewis (ed). Philosophy of A. J. Aye. La Salle, Il: Open Court, 1992.
Griffiths, A. Phillips (ed). A. J. Memorial Essays. Cambridge, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1991.
Luntley, Michael. Wittgenstein: Meaning and Judgement. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2003.
Ostrow, Matthew. Wittgenstein’s Tractatus: A Dialectical Interpretation. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2002.
Cook, John. Wittgenstein, Empiricism, and Language. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.
Gibson Jr., R. (ed). Quintessence: Basic Readings from the Philosophy of W. V. Quine. Cambridge, MA:
Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2004.
Schilpp, Paul. Philosophy of Rudolf Carnap. La Salle, IL: Open Court, 1963.
Dreyfus, H. & Wrathall, M. (eds). Companion to Heidegger. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2005.
Polt, Richard. Heidegger: An Introduction. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1999.
Cooper, David. Heidegger. London: Claridge Press, 1996.
Haar, Michel. Heidegger and the Essence of Man. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press,
1993.
Howells, Christina (ed). Cambridge Companion to Sartre. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1992.
Thody, Philip. Jean-Paul Sartre. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992.
Whitford, Margaret. Luce Irigaray: Philosophy in the Feminine. New York: Routledge, 1991.
Irigaray, Luce. This Sex which is Not One. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1985.
Gualandi, Alberto. Lyotard. Paris: Belles lettres, 1999.
Lyotard, Jean-François. Postmodern Fables. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1997.
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Silverman, Hugh (ed). Derrida and Deconstruction. London: Routledge, 1989.
Norris, Christopher. Derrida. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1987.
Notes:
1. Contact the Registrar's Office (x1570) for available course numbers. A list of subject areas can be found at
http://acadaff.uww.edu\Handbook\SubjectAreas.htm
2. The 15 and 25 character abbreviations may be edited for consistency and clarity.
3. Please submit electronically when approved at the college level - signature sheet to follow in hard copy.
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