Phil 4240 Philosophy of Friendship and Love
Dr. Janet Donohoe
Spring 2012
1. Learning
Outcomes: The aim of this course is to examine
critically the historical theories of friendship and love through examining
important primary philosophical texts; to explore what it means to love and how
such notions of love and friendship have changed through the centuries; to
grasp the value and meaning of friendship and love as social and personal
elements; to recognize the historical nature of definitions and questions of
friendship and love. By the end of the
semester students will be able to:
2.
Requirements: The requirements for the class are fivefold.
a) attendance and class participation 10%
b) response papers 15%
c) in-class
midterm exam 25%
d) one 3000-3600 word paper (including rough draft) 25%
e) final exam 25%
In order to meet these
requirements, it will be necessary to attend class regularly and to do the
assigned reading. It will be evident if
you have not done the reading and this will not be beneficial to your success
in the course. Papers absolutely will not be accepted after the due date unless you
have discussed it with me prior to the due date. You must turn in a rough
draft of your final paper. If you do not
turn in a rough draft, you will not be allowed to turn in a final draft of the
paper and will receive a zero for this part of your grade.
Primarily,
your term paper should be focused on a text or texts that we have discussed in
class. The goal is for you to express
your own understanding and analysis of a text or texts. If you want to do research into secondary
sources, the best way to do so is to consult the Philosopher’s Index to see
what kinds of articles might have been published that would be pertinent to
your issue. I would highly recommend
that you not rely on the Web to get information on your issue. Web sources are notoriously unreliable and
can often be overly simplistic in their presentation of any philosophical
view. Scholarly articles and books are
the best sources to consult. Be sure
that if you consult any secondary sources you cite those sources. Failure to do so can have dire consequences.
The Department
of English and Philosophy defines plagiarism as taking personal credit for the
thinking of others as it is presented in electronic, print, and verbal
sources. The Department expects that
students will accurately credit sources in all assignments. Plagiarism is grounds for failing the course
and may result in further consequences of being expelled from the University.
3.
Availability: I am available outside of class during office
hours, or by appointment. If there are
questions or problems, do not hesitate to see me.
Hours: MWF
Office: TLC 2230
Phone: 678-839-4743
e-mail: jdonohoe@westga.edu
4. Reading List: The book
listed below should be available in the book store. The articles listed will be available through
the library electronic reserves (Docutek).
Plato Symposium
Course reserves include:
Aristotle excerpts from Nicomachean Ethics
Buber “The Friend as Thou”
DeBeauvoir “The Woman in Love”
Foucault excerpts from The History of Sexuality Vol. 2
Friedman “Feminism and Modern Friendship:
Dislocating the Community”
Kierkegaard “Don Juan’s Secret”
Nussbaum “Constructing Love, Desire and
Care”
Nussbaum “The Speech of Alcibiades”
Nietzsche “Agape as Resentment and
Supression”
Rich “Compulsory
Heterosexuality”
Scheler “Agape as Superabundant
Vitality: A Response to Nietzsche”
Schopenhauer “The Metaphysics of Love of the Sexes”
January
1/9 Introduction. Discussion of
themes
1/11 Definitions and
Questions (1st response paper
due on “What is Love?”)
Part I: Plato and the Greeks
1/13 Plato Symposium
1/16 MLK Day—No Classes
1/18 Symposium
1/20 Symposium
1/23 Symposium
1/25 Nussbaum “The
Speech of Alcibiades” (2nd response paper due)
1/27 “Alcibiades”
1/30 “Alcibiades”
February
Part II: Romantic/Erotic Love
2/1 Kierkegaard “Don
Juan’s Secret” (3rd response paper due)
2/3 “Don Juan’s Secret”
2/6 DeBeauvoir “The
Woman in Love”
2/8 “The Woman in Love”
2/10 “The Woman in Love”
2/13 Schopenhauer “The
Metaphysics of the Love of the Sexes”
2/15 “The Metaphysics of the Love of the Sexes”
2/17 “The Metaphysics of the Love of the Sexes”
2/20 Midterm
Exam
Part III: Agape
2/22 Aquinas excerpts
from “The Summa Theologica”
2/24 “Summa”
2/27 “Summa”
2/29 Nietzsche “Agape as Ressentiment and
Suppression” (4th response paper due)
March
3/2 “Agape as Ressentiment and Suppression” (Last Day to
Withdraw with a W)
3/5 “Agape as Ressentiment and Suppression”
3/7 Scheler “Agape as Superabundant Vitality: A
Response to Nietzsche”
3/9 “Agape as Superabundant Vitality”
3/12 “Agape as Superabundant Vitality”
Part IV: Friendship
3/14 Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Books VII and IX (5th
response paper due)
3/16 Nicomachean
Ethics
3/19-3/23 Spring
Break
3/26 Nicomachean
Ethics
3/28 Friedman “Feminism
and Modern Friendship: Dislocating the Community”
3/30 “Feminism
and Modern Friendship”
April
Part V: Love, Sex, and Sexuality
2 Nussbaum “Constructing Love, Desire, and Care”
4 “Constructing Love, Desire, and Care” (rough draft due)
6 Foucault History of Sexuality
9 History
of Sexuality
11 History
of Sexuality
13 Rich “Compulsory
Heterosexuality”
16 “Compulsory Heterosexuality” (final paper due)
18 “Compulsory Heterosexuality”
20 Review
Final exam is scheduled for
Wednesday, April 25, 2012 from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.