Syllabus

Course Meeting Times

Lectures: 1 session / week, 3 hours / session

Grading and Requirements

The final grade will be determined using the following weights:

ACTIVITIES PERCENTAGES
Seminar Presentation 30%
Term Paper 70%

Seminar Presentation

At least one seminar presentation is required during the term. The paper should be 20-30 minutes in presentation time. An outline or handout must be prepared for distribution to all participants at the seminar in which it will be presented. Discussion will follow. A written version of the paper should be handed in no later than one week after your presentation. Please see assignments for possible topics.

Term Paper

One 20-25 page term paper is also required. Graduate students in philosophy may receive distribution credit in the "history of philosophy" if their term paper is on the work of a historical figure or text (prior to 1879).

Calendar

SES # TOPICS
1 Introductory Class
2 Plato
3 Descartes
4 Locke/Leibniz
5 Hume and the Positivists
6 Kant
7 Quine's Critique
8 New Rationalisms