PHIL 202, Modern Philosophy

PREREQUISITES:

EPT score of 151 or higher, or credit in Developmental Writing 098, or completion of GE Analytical Reading/Expository Writing.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Professor Cindy Stern	Email: cindy.stern@csun.edu (818) 677-4853, Sierra Tower 508 Office hours: Tu & Th 7:00 - 7:45 AM and 9:30 - 10:30 AM; Tu 3:30 - 4:00 PM
Philosophy Department	(818) 677-2757, Sierra Tower 522 and 524

CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION:

Critical examination of topics in modern philosophic thought, selected from the writings of such figures as Descartes, Spinoza, Locke, Leibniz, Berkeley, Hume and Kant.

INSTRUCTOR’S DESCRIPTION:

This course will emphasize Descartes, Locke, Hume, and Kant. We will also read and discuss smaller selections of work by other figures in the early modern period.

GOALS:

Link for goals of this course, and their support for the goals of the philosophy program:
http://www.csun.edu/%7Ehcphi003/PHIL202/goals.html

ROLE IN THE GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM:

Available for General Education, Arts and Humanities. This section of GE has the following goal: Students will understand the rich history and diversity of human knowledge, discourse and achievements of their own and other cultures as they are expressed in the arts, literatures, religions and philosophy.

TOPICS COVERED:

We will focus on issues in metaphysics and epistemology (theory of knowledge). Within these areas, major issues to be addressed include

• arguments concerning the existence of God
• our knowledge of the world outside ourselves, and the limits of such knowledge
• the concept of substance
• the nature of mind and its relation to body
• identity through change, particularly for persons
• time, space, and how we get these concepts
• the nature of causal relationships

TEXTS:

• Modern Philosophy: An Anthology of Primary Sources, 2nd ed. Edited by Roger Ariew and Eric Watkins. Hackett Publishing, 2009. Choice of formats:
  • Traditional book (paperback): ISBN 13: 978-0-87220-978-7
  • Electronic (pdf) format: ISBN 9781603843225 (allows printing of 20 pages every 30 days)
• Selections from Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature. (For free download of PDF, see the schedule of assignments.
• Additional items provided through moodle

COURSE REQUIREMENTS and METHODS OF EVALUATION:

• Requirements:
  • assigned readings
  • participation in class discussion
  • short writing assignments
  • term paper (which may build on short writing assignments)
  • Quizzes may be required, depending on class preparation and participation.
• Grading:
  • Grades will be based primarily on written work.
  • Grades for short assignments will depend upon how well the question in each assignment is answered.
  • Grades for the term paper will take into consideration the applicable elements of the departmental rubric for courses in the history of philosophy (posted on moodle)
  • Participation in class discussion will play a smaller role
  • The weight of each item will depend on the number of assignments given
  • Plus and minus grades will be used.

POLICIES AND REGULATIONS:

• Withdrawal from class
  • Unexcused absence for the whole first week of class will result in administrative withdrawal from the course.
  • A student who simply stops attending a class but does not withdraw will receive a grade of F or of unofficial withdrawal, which has the same effect on GPA. To avoid this, if you decide to withdraw, do so officially.
  • The deadline for dropping a course without signatures is Friday, February 11.
  • For University deadlines and policies on schedule changes (adding or dropping), see http://www.csun.edu/anr/soc/adjsched.html.
• Class announcements and information
  • Students are responsible for reading assignments as posted on
    http://www.csun.edu/~hcphi003/PHIL202/schedule.html
    and as announced during class and in emails to the class list.
  • It may take time for changes announced in class to be reflected in the schedule. I will notify you of changes as quickly as possible by email to the class list.
  • Check your campus email often, or have it forwarded to an address that you check frequently.
  • Changes in the schedule will also be posted on the class announcements web page as soon as possible. This is likely to take longer than mailing to the class list, but not as long as updating of the schedule web page.
• Written work
  • Short in-class writing assignments must be completed in class when given, and cannot be made up. Students will be allowed to miss or drop one such assignment (perhaps two, depending on the total number given).
  • Due dates will be taken seriously. Extensions will be granted only with documented justification (such as evidence of medical treatment, or police report of an accident).
  • No extra credit assignments will be given.
• Academic dishonesty is a very serious issue. For information on what constitutes academic dishonesty and on the possible repercussions of and penalties for acts of academic dishonesty, consult the CSUN Student Conduct Code in the University Catalog or at http://www.csun.edu/a&r/soc/studentconduct.html.

SPECIAL NEEDS (such interpreters, note takers, or testing services):

Students with special needs should work with the office of Disability Resources and Educational Services, and should inform me of any accommodations that may be required.

Last modified January 21, 2011.