DESCARTES TO HUME
Philosophy 2C06
2005-2006
W. Waluchow
Office: University Hall 302
Phone:
23465
Email: Walucho@McMaster.CA
Webpage: http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~phil2c/
Office Hours: Thursday, 12:30-1:30 pm, or by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In the first half of this course we will examine critically the works of three great seventeenth Century
rationalist philosophers: Rene Descartes, Baruch Spinoza and Gottfried Wilhelm Von Leibniz. In the
second half, we will turn to the works of three founders of modern empiricism: John Locke, Bishop
George Berkeley and David Hume. Our concern will be both to gain familiarity with the main
philosophical ideas of these thinkers and to analyze their positions critically. Emphasis will be placed
on their epistemological and metaphysical theories.
REQUIRED TEXT
Steven Cahn (ed), Classics of Western Philosophy (Hackett) 6th edition.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
In the first term, there will be a Take-Home Test and an End-of-Term Test. The Take-Home will
consist of one essay question to be answered in no more than 1,000 words, and will cover material
dealt with in the first half of the term. The End-of-Term Test will cover everything studied in the
first term with some emphasis on material covered since the Take-Home-Test. In the second term,
there will be only one Examination: the Final. This will cover the entire course, with major emphasis
on material covered in the second term. In addition to writing the final exam, students will be
required in the second term to submit a formal, critical essay. The word limit is 3,000 and essay
topics will be distributed sometime in the new year. Students may write on an essay topic not found
on the assigned list, but they must clear their topic with me in advance.
TERM 1
Take-Home Test distributed in class, October 14
Take-Home Test due in class, October 21
End-of-Term Test, during the scheduled exam period
TERM 2
Essay due in class, March 17
Final Examination, during the scheduled exam period
WEIGHTS
Term 1 Take-Home Test...................................20%
End-of-Term Exam...........................................20%
Essay.................................................................30%
Final Exam.......................................................30%
NOTES
1. 5 marks (out of 100) will be deducted from Essay or Take-Home Test grades for every 100 words
in excess of the prescribed limit.
2. 5 marks per day (out of 100) will also be deducted for late Essays and Take-Home Tests.
Exceptions will be made only if you have a legitimate excuse. A legitimate excuses is whatever your
Dean of Studies will accept. Take your documentation to your Dean of Studies. In due time they will
send me a memo.
3 Academic dishonesty consists of misrepresentation by deception or by other fraudulent means
and can result in serious consequences, e.g. the grade of zero on an assignment, loss of credit
with a notation on the transcript (notation reads: “Grade of F assigned for academic dishonesty”),
and/or suspension or expulsion from the university.
It is your responsibility to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty. For
information on the various kinds of academic dishonesty please refer to t he Academic Integrity
Policy, specifically Appendix 3, located at
http://www.mcmaster.ca/senate/academic/ac_integrity.htm.
The following illustrates only three forms of academic dishonesty:
(a) Plagiarism, e.g. the submission of work that is not one’s own or for which other credit
has been obtained.
(b) Improper collaboration on take-homes and essays.
(c) Copying or using unauthorized aids in tests and examinations.
4. Take-Home Tests and essays must not be submitted to the Philosophy Department Office. They
must be submitted directly to me either during class or my office hours. Do not slip them under my
door. Be sure to keep copies of all work submitted.
5. The scale used by the Registrar's Office will be used to convert number grades to final letter
grades.
6. You will have the opportunity to do a course evaluation near the end of the course.
7. If you require assistance in developing your writing skills, or in developing strategies for
taking tests and examinations, the Centre for Student Development may be of some help to you.
For information concerning academic support services provided by the Centre consult their
website at http://csd.mcmaster.ca