PHL 212 Section 001: Early Modern Philosophy

This course will look at the main figures and intellectual developments of the early Modern period of philosophy. We will proceed chronologically, starting with Descartes’s seminal Meditations on First Philosophy and tracing two very different branches of influence from there to what are often called the Rationalist and Empiricist schools. Other figures of note will be Locke, Spinoza, Leibniz, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant.

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate familiarity with the major figures and views of the early Modern period
• Identify key arguments and passages of some of the major works
• Compare and contrast competing views, especially of the Rationalists and Empiricists
• Analyze the different systems we examine for internal consistency
• Evaluate arguments for validity and soundness

There will be three exams throughout the course; two mid-term exams and one final exam. The dates for the exams are listed below. In addition, there will be periodic, unannounced quizzes given in class to test your comprehension of the readings. These quizzes will be graded on a High Pass/Low Pass/Fail scale.

The weights of each component as it factors into your course grade are as follows:

Quizzes/Study Questions: 15%

First midterm exam: 20%

Second midterm exam: 30%

Final exam: 35%

A guiding principle I follow for grading is that it would be unfair for me to hold you responsible for material that either (a) I didn’t include as part of the course, or (b) I couldn’t have reasonably expected you to have learned on your own prior to or during the course. So for example, in this course, I will not be teaching you about Heidegger, and since this course presupposes no prior exposure to philosophy, I cannot reasonably expect you to have learned about Heidegger on your own. Hence, you will not be graded on your knowledge of Heidegger. But, you are all high school graduates and students at a premiere university. As such, I can (and do) expect that you have learned how to write competently and spell correctly (in English).  So, your writing and spelling can (and probably will) be taken into consideration for your grade, especially as it affects the clarity and accuracy of your answers.

I endorse the University’s statements on academic grades. To wit:

A: A grade in the A range signifies that a student satisfied the objectives of the course in an excellent manner.

 

B: A grade in the B range signifies that a student satisfied the objectives of the course in an above-average manner.

 

C: A grade in the C range signifies that a student satisfied the objectives of the course in an average manner.

 

D: A grade in the D range signifies that a student satisfied the objectives of the course in a below-average manner.

 

F: A grade of F signifies that a student did not satisfy the objectives of the course. 

Exams are scheduled and announced in advance. Make-up exams will be given only in the event of an excused absence or a documented emergency. If you know you will miss an exam date for an excusable event, you must let the instructor know at least 24 hours in advance. If you miss an exam for an emergency, you must provide documentation to that effect. In the event an exam is missed unexcused reasons, no make-up exams will be given.

Your regular attendance in class is a necessary condition of success, but not a sufficient one. As such, no credit is given for attendance. However, you will be responsible for the material we cover on a day you are absent and you may not use office hours as a substitute for attending regular class meetings. If you are absent when there is a quiz, you may not make it up. If your absence is excused, the missed quiz will be omitted from your individual quiz grade, resulting in no penalty. 

All students in attendance at the University of Alabama are expected to be honorable and to observe standards of conduct appropriate to a community of scholars. The University expects from its students a higher standard of conduct than the minimum required to avoid discipline. Academic misconduct includes all acts of dishonesty in any academically related matter and any knowing or intentional help or attempt to help, or conspiracy to help, another student.

The Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Policy will be followed in the event of academic misconduct.

The University of Alabama is committed to providing an inclusive environment that is free from harassment or discrimination based on race, genetic information, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, ability, or veteran status. The University of Alabama prohibits any verbal or physical conduct that threatens or endangers the health or safety of any individual or group, including physical abuse, verbal abuse, threats, stalking, intimidation, harassment, sexual misconduct, coercion, and/or other communication or conduct that creates a hostile living or learning environment.

In addition, I encourage you to familiarize yourself with this short guide to email etiquette: http://www.wikihow.com/Email-a-Professor.

If you are registered with the Office of Disability Services, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible to discuss any course accommodations that may be necessary. If you have a disability, but have not contacted the Office of Disability Services, please call 348-4285 or visit 133-B Martha Parham Hall East to register for services. Students who may need course adaptations because of a disability are welcome to make an appointment to see me during office hours. Students with disabilities must be registered with the Office of Disability Services, 133-B Martha Parham Hall East, before receiving academic adjustments.

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