Honors 312
Ideas in Conflict II Medieval, Renaissance, and Early Modern
Spring 2004
T&Th 2-3:15
Fayard Hall 240
Office Hours:
MWF 10-12, MW 2-3
T&Th 11-1:50
Dr. Peter A. Petrakis
Office: 355D Fayard Hall
Telephone 549-3465
e-mail ppetrakis@selu.edu
Course Description and Objectives
The Ideas in Conflict series, I-IV, are courses intended to engage great or timeless questions,
controversies and/or issues. Divided by time periods, this course, Ideas in Conflict II, deals with materials
and ideas generated during the medieval, Renaissance, and early modern period. Yet, this is not a history
course. Rather than survey the important developments in this time frame, this course focuses on specific
important ideas and/or conflicts for students to examine. Although such a claim is rather audacious, this
course seeks to discover (or present) so-called universals by examining particulars.
In contrast to a lecture format, this course is to be conducted as a seminar. As such, students are expected
to read and be prepared to discuss assigned readings. Instruction is to come from the students and their
careful reading, discussion, and written analysis of quality texts. The instructor is to function as a guide.
Additionally, students will research, write, and present contextual material relating to the course. In
addition to allowing maximum intellectual freedom for students, this requirement should reinforce the
student orientation of this course.
Course objectives are as follows: 1) have students read and consider primary texts; 2) provide a forum for
discussion and student participation; 3) enhance student writing; 4) require students to conduct research
and write a substantial paper dealing with specific events, issues, or controversies within the time period;
5) have students present their findings to the class and lead a discussion on their topic.
Texts:
1) The Political Ideas of St. Thomas Aquinas, ed. Dino Bigongiari.
2) Discourse on Free Will, Erasmus and Luther.
3) The Prince, Niccolo Machiavelli, trans. Harvey Mansfield.
4) Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes, ed. Richard Tuck.
5) Two Treatises on Government, John Locke, ed. Peter Laslett.
Note: the above works can be purchased at the SLU bookstore. Students will be required to reference or
purchase additional works for their presentations. This will be explained the first class meeting.
C0urse Requirements:
--Reaction papers (1 to 1 1/2 pages) based on the readings will be required periodically. These are to
foment and structure dialogue and discussion and as such they should be considered a less formal form of
writing. The number of reaction papers will vary depending upon enrollment but should not exceed eight
throughout the semester; a schedule will be worked out in class.
--The mid term essay is to be a take home assignment where students will write 3-6 pages on the reading
and class discussion materials.
--The Research Paper will be 8-12 pages in length and on a topic selected by the student and approved by
the professor. This is to be done early in the semester.
--The Presentation is to be based on the student’s research project and is to last approximately 20
minutes. Students must be prepared for questions from the class and professor.
-The final essay - is to be either a take home or in class essay on the reading and discussion materials and
should be 3-6 pages in length.
Breakdown of Requirements:
--Reaction Papers – 15%
--Mid Term Essay – 20%
--Research Paper – 30%
--Presentation – 15%
--Final Essay – 20%
Grading and Exams: Students must take all exams in order to pass this class. No one will be allowed to
retake, drop, or count any exam twice. No one will be exempt from the final examination, which will be
given in the regular classroom and at the time listed in the Schedule Bulletin and in this syllabus. All final
exams will be taken during final exam week and no one will be allowed to reschedule final exams except
for graduating seniors whose exams fall on Thursday or Friday of exam week. In such instances,
graduating seniors will be required to take their finals earlier in the exam week.
Students are expected to keep up with the reading assignments. All course grades are final and will not be
changed unless there is an error in calculation. There will be no individual extra credit assignments so
do not ask.
The grading scale is as follows:
100-90 = A
89-80 = B
79-70 = C
69-60 = D
59 and below = F
Incomplete Grades: University policy requires that “I” or incomplete grades are to be given only to
students whose work is of passing quality and for reasons and/or circumstances that are beyond student’s
control. Incompletes will not be given for facile reasons, unexecused absences, or to student’s whose class
average is below 60%. For those rare instances where “I” grades can be given, instructors are authorized
to give incompletes only if the proper paperwork is completed. Students must complete an “I” Contract
form, available in the History and Political Science Departmental office, which must subsequently be
signed by the instructor and the Head of the Department. Incompletes are not final grades and students
must follow the procedures described in the SLU catalogue or the “I” will become an “F.” Student grades
will be posted on the Blackboard website for this class. Grades will not be given out by phone or e-mial.
Scantron exams will not be returned to students and the final grade will be posted on the university
system. Do not call the Department of History and Political Science for grades!
Cheating and Plagiarism: Exams will be closely monitored. Anyone caught cheating or committing
plagiarism will fail the course and will be reported to the appropriate university officials.
Course Policies
Official Communication: Beginning in January 2003, Southeastern will exclusively use SLU student
e-mail accounts to communicate information about curriculum, classes, assignments, and other
important information. Student’s can access their e-mail accounts from Webmail on SLU’s home page.
Instructors will not respond to student e-mail from any other e-mail addresses. Students should check email accounts regularly. Announcements involving the entire class will be posted on the Blackboard
website for this class.
Syllabus Receipt Form: By the end of the drop/add period, all students must sign a form acknowledging
that they have received a copy of the syllabus or accessed it on the Blackboard website and that they have
read and completely understood the requirements for this course. Failure to sign this form can result in a
five point deduction from your final course average.
Attendance: Students are expected to follow the attendance policy as stated in the 2002-2003 General
SLU Catalogue (p. 59): “Class attendance is regarded as an obligation as well as a privilege, and all
students are expected to attend regularly and punctually all classes in which they are enrolled. Failure to
do so may jeopardize a student scholastic standing and may lead to suspension from the college or
university . . . . A student shall submit excuses for all class absences . . . within three class days after the
student returns to his respective class . . . . When any student that receives unexcused absences (e.g., ten
percent of the total classes) in any class, the instructor may withdraw the student with a grade of W.
Unfortunately, experience has taught that I must make additional comments. Although I seldom draw
attention to students who attend late, habitual tardiness will not be tolerated. Furthermore, extreme
tardiness defeats the purpose of attendance and is disruptive. If you are more than 10 minutes late, do
not bother attending. Also, if you must leave the class prior to the scheduled time, you should contact me
prior to class. If there is an emergency and you must excuse yourself please, by all means, do so. But
when you return, contact me and explain the situation. In short, students will not be permitted to simply
come and go at their pleasure.
It is the responsibility of the student to obtain class notes missed due to absences egitimate or
otherwise rom other students in the class. Lectures will not be repeated. Warning: any student arriving
late to an examination, especially if someone has completed the exam, will not be allowed to take that
exam. Furthermore, such lapses will not be counted as a legitimate excuse for a make-up.
This course is registered on Blackboard and as such students should access important information by
going to www.roomie.selu.edu. The syllabus, announcements and grades will be posted on Blackboard.
Military Service: The Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System has a policy
governing students called up for military service during the course of a semester. SLU adheres to that
policy.
Make-up exams: All make-up exams will be given during the final examination. There will be no
exceptions. Do not expect make-up exams to be identical in form or content to original examinations.
For example, make-ups may be fill in the blank, short answer, or essay exams. In addition, do not expect
to automatically be granted a make-up, only acceptable excuses (medical, legitimate extra-curricular, etc.)
are guaranteed.
Special Needs: Any student that requires special attention due to a real necessity, such as a learning,
hearing, seeing, or movement impediment, should advise the instructor immediately. Appropriate
measures will be taken. SLU is committed to compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, but
students are required to self-identify with the Office of Student Life, Room 203, Student Union.
Attention: Students are responsible for reading, understanding, and keeping this syllabus. It is an
important document that clearly details both students’ and instructor's responsibilities. If you lose this
syllabus, come see me or access the syllabus on the Blackboard website and get another one. It is an
important document. I will pass around a syllabus receipt form where you will sign that you indeed
received a copy of your syllabus.
Additionally, do not burden the department with minor complaints! I am available to discuss tests,
grades, or more specific problems. If I am not on campus, simply leave a message on my answer machine
and I will contact you promptly. Repeat, do not complain to the department until you have exhausted
your options with me—penalties will be imposed for inattention to this warning! Students can be
penalized up to 5 points from their final average.
Important Dates and Information

Monday, January 19
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Tuesday, January20
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Monday-Tuesday, February 23-24
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Wednesday, February 15
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Friday, March 19
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Friday-Friday, April 9-16

Friday, May 7
Wednesday, May 12
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
First day of classes
Mardi Gras Holiday
classes resume at noon
Last day to withdraw or resign
Spring Break
Last day of classes
Final Exam @ 12:30-2:30
Class rosters will be distributed very early in the term. All non-paying students will be omitted from class
rolls on this date. These rolls are important in that no student will be allowed to remain in a
class if their names do not appear on the official class roster.
Note: Reading assignments will be discussed in class. I will tailor reading assignments according to class
discussion but a tentative reading schedule will be handed out in class.