WORLD INTELLECTUAL HISTORY
Lecturer: Simon Skempton
Class teachers: Simon Skempton, Alexandra Tsareva, Alexander Koryagin
Course description
World Intellectual History is a two semester course which covers the major events and
developments in the history of human kind.

The course material is introduced through both original historical texts and
secondary sources

The time period covered begins with emergence of the first civilizations in the
river valleys and ends in the present day

The course covers major developments around the globe including Europe,
Americas and Asia

The course includes the discussion of the leading intellectual movements and
ideas that have had an impact on the development of human societies
Teaching objectives
The course aims at giving students:

The ability to critically analyse information and incorporate it appropriately into a
well-supported argument

The understanding of the basic patterns of social explanation

A basic command of historical material: key events, personalities,
trends/developments

Understanding of how the present world order came about
Teaching methods
The following methods and forms of study are used in the course:

Lectures

Seminars (individual and group work)

Consultations with teachers

Self study with literature

Use of Internet resources
Assessment
There will be an intermediate examination at the end of the first semester and final examination
at the end of the second semester. During each semester an oral presentation and a one 3-4-page
essay on an assigned topic will be required of each student. Attendance and active participation
in the weekly seminars are required.
Grade determination
The final grade will consist of:

I semester 40%
o
Seminar performance 6%
o
Home assignments 4%
o
Written assignment (mini-research) 9%
o
Research presentation (oral) 6%
o
Winter MOCK exam 75%

II semester 60%
o
Seminar performance 10% (including 4% bonus for a presentation)
o
Written assignment (mini-research) 10%
o
Winter exam 80%
Main reading
1.
Fukuyama, F., The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French
Revolution. (2011)
2.
Russell B. A History of Western Philosophy (1945)
3.
Tarnas R. The Passion of the Western Mind (1991)
4.
Harvey, P. An Introduction To Buddhism. (2013)
5.
Habermas, J. Modernity's Consciousness of Time and Its Need for Self-Reassurance //
Habermas, J. The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity (1990), 1-22.
6.
Spielvogel J. Western Civilization. Volume II: Since 1300 (5th Edition—2003).
7.
Marx K., Engels F. Communist Manifesto (1848)
8.
Heine, S., Wright, D. Zen Classics Formative Texts in the History of Zen Buddhism
(Oxford, 2005)
9.
Nesbitt, E. Sikhism. A Very Short Introduction. (Oxford, 2005)
10.
Copleston, F. A History of Philosophy, Vol. 7: Modern Philosophy - From the PostKantian Idealists to Marx, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche (1994)
11.
Lenin, V. Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism (1916)
Additional reading
1.
Bulliet, Crossley, Headrick, Hirsch, Johnson, Northrup, The Earth and Its Peoples: A
Global History (2005)
2.
Reilly, K. (ed.), Worlds of History: a Comparative Reader: Volume One: To 1550 /
Volume Two: Since 1400 (2010)
Web-resources
http://mief.hse.ru
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/history/
http://www.iep.utm.edu/history/
http://oyc.yale.edu/religious-studies/rlst-145/lecture-2
http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/index.htm
http://oyc.yale.edu/psychology/psyc-110/lecture-3
Course outline
FIRST SEMESTER
1. Introduction
No reading assignment for this class.
2. Methodology and approaches to history

Approaches to history: theology, hermeneutics, positivism, dialectics

Objectivity, evidence and sources in historical science
Primary reading:
1. Philosophy of History by Daniel Little
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/history/
2. Philosophy of History by A. Jensen
http://www.iep.utm.edu/history/
Supplementary reading:
1. Marquis de Condorcet. Progress of the Human Mind. (Condorcet.pdf)
2. Peter Singer and Bryan Magee. Hegel and Marx. (Singer.pdf)
Also available as video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxjnG1X510A (Parts 15)1
3. Paul Fry. Ways In and Out of the Hermeneutic Circle.
Also available as MP3 audio or MOV video at http://oyc.yale.edu/english/engl300/lecture-3 – you only need parts 1-6 (00:00-37:20)
3. Origins of Human History

Continuity between Chimpanzees and early humans: sex and violence

Biologically based cultural practices: fertility control

Transition from hunter-gatherer to agricultural communities
Primary reading:
1. The Origins of Political Order, Part 1: chapters 2, 3, 4
Supplementary reading:
1. Wyman R., Global Problems of Population Growth
Also available as MP3 audio or MOV video at http://oyc.yale.edu/molecular-cellularand-developmental-biology/mcdb-150#sessions – Lectures 1-5
4. Origins of the State and First River-Valley Civilizations

The earliest river valley civilizations: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley.

Technological and social (e.g. labour organization) responses to environmental
challenges.

Contrasting social and political systems and the reasons for their emergence.

The Code of Hammurabi
Primary reading:
1. The Origins of Political Order, Part 2: chapters 5
Secondary reading:
1. Worlds of History, pp.1-80
2. The Earth and Its Peoples, chapter 1
5. Ancient China
 Political and social differences between the Shang and Zhou periods.
 Ideas of political legitimacy. Legalism, Confucianism, Taoism, and what these
philosophies say about ancient Chinese culture and society.
Primary reading:
1. The Origins of Political Order, Part 2: chapters 6, 7, 8, 9
Secondary reading:
1. The Earth and its Peoples, chapter 2
2. Worlds of History, pp. 122-148.
6. Ancient India
 The structure of Indian society and the reasons for its emergence.
 Religious developments (the Vedic religion and later Hinduism, Jainism,
Buddhism) and their role in maintaining and challenging aspects of Indian culture.
 The Mauryan Empire.
1
Singer/Magee full video:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxjnG1X510A
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDjXBr3RtKk
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYX9UP55ISc
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-Eg_fLP-5U
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbwZw0wy_n0
Primary reading:
1. The Origins of Political Order, Part 2: chapters 10, 11, 12
Secondary reading:
1. The Earth and Its Peoples, chapter 4
2. Worlds of History, pp.81-101, 198-211
7. Origins of Monotheism
 Monotheism and polytheism
Primary reading:
1. Hayes, C. Introduction to the Old Testament
http://oyc.yale.edu/religious-studies/rlst-145/lecture-2
Secondary reading:
1. The Earth and its Peoples, chapter 3
8. Classical Greece
 Origins of Greek philosophy.
 Political philosophy of the Plato and Aristotle.
Primary reading:
1. A History of Western Philosophy, book 1, part 1, chapter 1 (The Rise of Greek
Civilization)
Secondary reading:
1. Smith, S. Introduction to Political Philosophy
http://oyc.yale.edu/political-science/plsc-114#sessions
2. Plato. Republic (Worlds of History, pp.110-120)
3. Aristotle. Athenian constitution (Worlds of History, pp.102-105)
9. Hellenism
 Impact of Macedonian conquests on the Eastern Mediterranean.
Primary reading:
1. A History of Western Philosophy, book 1, part 3, chapter 25 (The Hellenistic
World)
2. A History of Western Philosophy, book 1, part 3, chapter 26-28
Secondary reading:
1. Kagan, D. Introduction to Ancient Greek History
http://oyc.yale.edu/classics/clcv-205/lecture-24
2. Martin, D. Introduction to the New Testament History and Literature
http://oyc.yale.edu/religious-studies/rlst-152/lecture-3
3. The Earth and Its Peoples, chapter 3
4. Worlds of History, pp.102-121
5. See also relevant sections from Tarnas.
10. Christianity and Rome
 The spread of Christianity and the reasons for it. The fall of the empire.
 From early Christian communities to St. Augustine
o Historical approach to the New Testament
o Culture of early Christian communities
Primary reading:
1. A History of Western Philosophy, book 2, part 1, chapters 2 (Christianity During
the First Four Centuries)
Secondary reading:
1. Martin, D. Introduction to the New Testament History and Literature
http://oyc.yale.edu/religious-studies/rlst-152#sessions
2. Freedman, P. The Early Middle Ages, 284–1000
http://oyc.yale.edu/history/hist-210#sessions
3. Chadwick, H. From Jerusalem to Rome.
4. The Earth and Its Peoples, chapter 5
5. Worlds of History, pp.149-163, pp.231,233, pp.243-249
11. The Rise of Islam
 The rise of Islam. Mohamed and the emergence of the Umma.
 The nature of Islam and its political and cultural influence.
 The rise of the Caliphate and the reasons for its eventual fall.
 The Arabic conquests. Urbanization and the development of Islamic culture.
Primary reading:
1. The Origins of Political Order, Part 2: chapters 13, 14, 15
Secondary reading:
1. Freedman, P. The Early Middle Ages, 284–1000
http://oyc.yale.edu/transcript/1238/hist-210
http://oyc.yale.edu/transcript/1239/hist-210
http://oyc.yale.edu/transcript/1240/hist-210
2. The Earth and Its Peoples, chapter 8
3. Worlds of History, pp.259-271, pp.289-292
12. Medieval Europe: Scholasticism
 The emergence of Christian Europe.
 The Carolingian Renaissance.
 Cultural developments and the emergence of universities.
Primary reading:
1. The Passion of the Western Mind, part 4 (The Transformation of the Medieval
Era)
Secondary reading:
1. Freedman, P. The Early Middle Ages, 284–1000
http://oyc.yale.edu/history/hist-210#sessions
2. The Earth and Its Peoples, chapter 9
3. Worlds of History, pp.281-283, 350-386
4. A History of Western Philosophy, book 2, part 2 (The Schoolmen)
13. Buddhism and Confucianism in China
Primary reading:
1. Harvey, P. An Introduction To Buddhism. (Cambridge, 2013), chapter 7 (The
Later History and Spread of Buddhism)
Secondary reading:
1. Торчинов, Е. Введение в буддологию. Курс лекций. (Петербургское
философское общество, 2000)
2. The Earth and Its Peoples, chapter 10
3. Worlds of History, see relevant sections.
14. Revision
No reading assignment for this class.
SECOND SEMESTER
1. Renaissance and Reformation
Primary reading:
1.
The Passion of the Western Mind, part 5, chapters 1-2 (Renaissance, Reformation)
Supplementary reading:
General:
1. A History of Western Philosophy, book 3, part 1, chapters 1-5 (Renaissance to
Counter-Reformation)
2. Western Civilization, chapters 12-13
3. The Earth and Its Peoples, chapter 16
4. Worlds of History, pp.653-664, 710-729
Machiavelli:
1. http://oyc.yale.edu/transcript/783/plsc-114
2. http://oyc.yale.edu/transcript/784/plsc-114
2. Scientific revolution
Primary reading:
1.
A History of Western Philosophy, book 3, part 1, chapter 6
Supplementary reading:
1.
Western Civilization, chapters 16
2.
The Passion of the Western Mind, part 5, chapters 4
3.
http://www.iep.utm.edu/desc-sci/
3. Origins of Modern European philosophy
Primary reading:
1.
A History of Western Philosophy, book 3, part 1, chapters 9, 17
Supplementary reading:
1.
The Passion of the Western Mind, part 5, chapters 4b (Descartes)
2.
Excerpts from Descartes’ Meditations (see mief.hse)
3.
Bryan Magee and Bernard Williams on Descartes (see scan in mief.hse)
http://www.cosmolearning.com/documentaries/bryan-magee-talks-to-bernard-williamsabout-descartes-876/
4.
See also relevant sections from Copleston
4. Absolutism VS Parliamentarism
Primary reading:
1.
A History of Western Philosophy, book 3, part 1, chapters 8, 14
Supplementary reading:
1.
The Origins of Political Order, Part 3, 4
2.
Western Civilization, chapters 15
3.
Effects of the Glorious Revolution http://oyc.yale.edu/transcript/352/hist-251
4.
European Civilization, 1648-1945, John Merriman
1.
French absolutism
http://oyc.yale.edu/transcript/571/hist-202
2.
Britain and Nehterlands
http://oyc.yale.edu/transcript/572/hist-202
5.
Smith, S. Introduction to Political Philosophy
http://oyc.yale.edu/political-science/plsc-114#sessions
5. The Enlightenment and the French Revolution
Primary reading:
1.
Western Civilization, chapters 17
Supplementary reading:
1.
Kant, What is Enlightenment? (to upload)
2.
Condorcet, The Progress of the Human Mind (see reading_01.zip)
3.
Merriman, The Enlightenment and the Public Sphere
http://oyc.yale.edu/history/hist-202/lecture-5
4.
The Earth and Its Peoples, chapter 21
5.
Worlds of History, pp.752-771
6. XIX Century European Ideas
Primary reading:
1.
Western Civilization, chapters 21
Supplementary reading:
1.
Copleston, F. From The French Enlightenment to Kant.
2.
Copleston, F. From Hegel to Marx, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche.
7. Socialists and Liberals
Primary reading:
1.
Marx, Engels. Communist Manifesto
http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/index.htm
2.
Western Civilization, chapters 21
3.
The Socialist Attack on Capitalism: Wolff, About Philosophy, 256-266.
Supplementary reading:
1.
Western Civilization, chapters 20
2.
Terry Eagleton. Why Marx Was Right.
3.
England, Britain, and the World: Economic Development, 1660-1720
http://oyc.yale.edu/transcript/351/hist-251
4.
In France
http://oyc.yale.edu/transcript/577/hist-202
5.
The Earth and Its Peoples, chapter 22
6.
Worlds of History, pp.792-808
8. Religious and social ideas of East Asia
Primary reading:
1. Heine, S., Wright, D. Zen Classics Formative Texts in the History of Zen
Buddhism (Oxford, 2005)
2. Nesbitt, E. Sikhism. A Very Short Introduction. (Oxford, 2005)
Supplementary reading:
1. Торчинов, Е. Введение в буддологию. Курс лекций. (Петербургское
философское общество, 2000)
9. The Age of Anxiety: Early XX Century Ideas
Primary reading:
1. Copleston, F. From Hegel to Marx, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche.
2. Bloom, P. Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis
http://oyc.yale.edu/psychology/psyc-110/lecture-3
Supplementary reading:
1.
Western Civilization, chapters 24
10. The Age of Empires
Primary reading:
1.
Lenin, V. Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism (exceprt).
Supplementary reading:
1.
Western Civilization, chapters 24
2.
Europe 1789 to 1914: the Age of Industry and Empire, John Merriman
3.
The Earth and Its Peoples, chapter 27
4.
Worlds of History, pp.826-867
11. The Late Capitalism: Reactions to Consumer Society
Primary reading:
1.
Habermas, J. The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity. (MIT, 1987)
Supplementary reading:
1.
Lyotard, excerpts from The Postmodern Condition
2.
The Passion of the Western Mind, part 6, chapter 5 (The Postmodern Mind)
12. What is Modernity?
Primary reading:
1. Habermas, J. Modernity's Consciousness of Time and Its Need for Self-Reassurance //
Habermas, J. The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity (1990), 1-22.
13. Final Revision
No reading assignment for this class.
Distribution of hours
#
Topic
1.
2.
3.
4.
Introduction
Methodology and approaches to history
From Ape to Human
Origins of the State and First RiverValley Civilizations
Ancient China
Ancient India
Origins of Monotheism
Classical Greek Philosophy
Hellenism
Christianity and Rome
The Rise of Islam
Medieval Europe: Scholasticism
Buddhism and Confucianism in China
Revision
Renaissance and Reformation
Scientific revolution
Origins of modern European
philosophy
Absolutism VS Parliamentarism
The Enlightenment and the French
Revolution
XIX Century European Ideas
Socialists and Liberals
Religious and social ideas of East Asia
The Age of Anxiety: Early XX Century
Ideas
The Age of Empires
The Late Capitalism: Reactions to
Consumer Society
What is Modernity?
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
Total
hours
8
8
8
8
Contact hours
Self
Lectures Seminars study
2
2
4
2
2
4
2
2
4
2
2
4
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
8
8
2
2
2
2
4
4
8
8
8
8
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
4
4
4
4
8
8
2
2
2
2
4
4
8
2
2
4
27.
Final Revision
Total:
8
216
2
54
2
54
4
108