UWG Philosophy Program
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PHIL 3120 sec. 01 AMERICAN PHILOSOPHY (3 hours) Spring Semester 2007 MWF 11:15am-12:10pm Prerequisites: PHIL 2100 or permission of instructor Classroom: Humanities 206 Web site: http://www.westga.edu/~rlane/american Email: rlane "at" westga.edu* |
Instructor: Dr. Robert Lane, TLC 2247 Office Hours: M: 8:15-45am; 10:10-11:10am; 12:15-2:15pm W: 8:15-45am; 10:10-11:10am; 1-2:15pm F: 10:10-11:10am; 12:15-2:15pm and by appointment My office telephone:
(678) 839-4745 |
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*All email communication must be conducted from your official UWG email account, accessible via MyUWG. |
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COURSE DESCRIPTION: What is truth? What's the best way for me to form beliefs about the world? Is absolute certainty possible, or must we be satisfied with beliefs that are not certain? If there is no solid evidence for or against the existence of God, is it legitimate to believe that God exists? What is philosophy, and what is its relationship with science? This course tackles those questions and others by examining how they were treated by the thinkers who founded America's distinctive philosophical tradition: pragmatism. In particular, we will study the works of the classical American pragmatists Charles Peirce, William James, and John Dewey, as well as three more recent pragmatists: Sidney Hook, Hilary Putnam, and Richard Rorty.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of the semester, each student will be able to identify, describe, ask questions concerning, and critically discuss (in both oral and written communications) selected positions and theories in the history of American philosophy, including:
· Peirce's criticism of Cartesianism; his views on belief, truth and reality, including his account of various methods of "fixing" belief; his Pragmatic Maxim; his pragmatic account of truth; and his "neglected argument" for the reality of God
· James' doctrine of the Will to Believe (as well as Clifford's views on the ethics of belief); his Pragmatic Method; and his pragmatic view of truth.
· Dewey's pragmatic theory of truth; his pragmatic theory of knowledge; and his view of the connections between science and common-sense inquiry.
· Hook’s naturalism and his application of pragmatist ideas to questions concerning science and inquiry.
· Putnam’s neo-pragmatist views on truth and reality and how he was influenced by James and Dewey,
· Rorty's so-called "vulgar pragmatism," including his views on epistemology and metaphysics.
These course-specific learning outcomes contribute to the departmental learning outcomes of the Philosophy Program by enabling students better to
· discuss the general historical development of the discipline of philosophy and selected major historical figures in philosophy
· ask philosophical questions
· incorporate philosophical positions in oral and written communications
· outline critically and analyze philosophical questions
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION: The typical class session will consist of about 80% lecture and 20% class discussion. Lectures are intended to elucidate and provide supplementary information relevant to the reading assignments and to form the basis for a vigorous class discussion of the arguments and theories at hand. Reading assignments will be made on a regular basis. In order to benefit fully from lectures and to participate meaningfully in class discussion, it is a must that you do the reading when it is assigned.
READING:
· Pragmatism, Old and New, ed. Susan Haack, Prometheus Books, 2006 ($32). [required]
· Online lecture notes (after each class meeting, I will post my own lecture notes for that day on the class web site; you are expected to read and study these notes on a regular basis).
EVALUATION:
· Two in-class examinations (20% each; 40% total). Mixed format.
· In-class comprehensive final examination (25%). Mixed format.
· Term paper (25%). 2000-2500 words. Details about this assignment will be given later in the semester.
· Class participation (10%). Participation in class discussions, as well as answers to my questions about the assigned readings.
· GRADING SCALE:
100 - 91% A 90 - 81% B 80 - 71% C 70 - 61% D 60 - 0% F
· I will take attendance at the beginning of each class.
· There are 43 scheduled class meetings for this course, including the first day of class and the final exam. You may miss six of these class meetings with no effect on your grade. Beginning with your seventh absence, you will lose three points from your final average for every class meeting you miss. I will make exceptions for absences necessitated by UWG-sponsored events or by other circumstances that were absolutely outside your control. I will make these exceptions only if ALL of your absences can be accounted for in one of these ways (e.g., if you miss four classes and you have a documented, acceptable reason for missing only three of those four, your fifth absence will still count against you, even if it would otherwise be excused). Documentation will be required in all cases in which I make an exception to this absence policy. (Yes, I take coming to class very seriously.)
· An early departure or late arrival may be counted as an absence, depending on the circumstances. I will decide in each case whether an early departure or a late arrival counts as an absence.
· Leaving the classroom while class is in session is both disrespectful and distracting. Do not leave the room during class unless it is absolutely essential that you do so.
· Do not study material from other classes while this class is in session. While you are in this class, I expect your attention to be focused on it rather than on your other courses.
· You may not bring food into the classroom; however, you may bring something to drink.
· Turn off all cell phones and other noise-making electronic devices before class begins.
MISSED TESTS / LATE PAPERS / EXTRA CREDIT:
· If you know that you will need to miss class on a day on which a test is scheduled (for example, due to a UWG sponsored event), you must let me know about your absence as far in advance as possible so that we can schedule another day and time for you to take the test (or a make-up test).
· If you miss a test without receiving my explicit permission beforehand and making arrangements for a make-up test, you will be permitted to take a make-up test if and only if one of the following conditions applies: (a) Your absence was due to illness or injury serious enough to require professional medical care and which prevented you from contacting me before the test; or (b) Your absence was due to other extenuating circumstances beyond your control. I will determine on a case-by-case basis what constitutes "extenuating circumstances beyond your control." You may be required to provide documentation pertaining to your absence before you are allowed to take a make-up test. Make-up tests will usually be longer and potentially more difficult than the original test that you missed.
· You may turn in your term paper late ONLY IF you have made arrangements with me beforehand and I have given you explicit permission.
· Extra-credit work will not be given under any circumstances.
· Work completed for other courses will not be accepted in this course.
RELEVANT INFORMATION FROM THE UNDERGRADUATE CATALOG:
· "each student is responsible for everything which happens in class and is responsible for making specific arrangements with the instructor for the work missed, including that missed during illness or university-sponsored activities"
· "any student who is unable to continue attendance in class should either drop the course, withdraw from the University, or make appropriate arrangements with the instructors"
· "any student who must be absent for more than three successive days is required to notify the Student Development Center, Parker Hall, telephone 770-836-6428."
· "Students who do not intend to remain in a course must drop the course before the end of the official drop/add period. Failure to drop a course during the drop/add period may result in grades of F in courses not attended."
· Academic Honor. "At West Georgia, the student is expected to achieve and maintain the highest standards of academic honesty and excellence. Not only does academic honesty preserve the integrity of both the student and the institution, but it is also essential in gaining a true education. The West Georgia student, therefore, pledges not to lie, cheat or steal in the pursuit of his or her studies and is encouraged to report those who do." Students who commit plagiarism (using someone else’s words or ideas without attribution of credit) will receive an “F” for the entire course and may be reported to the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs for additional action.
COURSE SCHEDULE: AMERICAN PHILOSOPHY (PHIL 3120)
THE FOLLOWING SCHEDULE IS TENTATIVE AND MAY CHANGE AS THE SEMESTER PROGRESSES. THIS INCLUDES TEST DATES AND DUE DATES FOR PAPERS, WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. If the class finds a specific topic especially interesting and/or difficult, then we may spend more than the allotted time on that topic. Dr. Lane will maintain an up-to-date version of the course schedule on the class web site. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to keep up with test dates, due dates, and reading assignments, either by checking the class web site or contacting Dr. Lane directly.
All readings are from Haack, Pragmatism, Old and New.
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Jan. |
topic |
reading due |
assignments due |
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8 M |
Introduction to the course |
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10 W |
Introduction to pragmatism |
-- |
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12 F |
Peirce: Anti-Cartesianism |
"Some Consequences..." (69-72) |
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15 M |
NO CLASS: MLK JR.'S BIRTHDAY |
-- |
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17 W |
Peirce: Anti-Cartesianism |
"Some Consequences..." (69-72) |
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19 F |
Peirce: Belief, Doubt and Inquiry |
"The Fixation of Belief" (107-15) |
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22 M |
Peirce: Methods of Fixing Belief |
"The Fixation of Belief" (115-22) |
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24 W |
Peirce: The Scientific Method & Realism |
"The Fixation of Belief" (115-26) |
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26 F |
Peirce: The Pragmatic Maxim |
"How to Make Our Ideas Clear" (127-38) |
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29 M |
Peirce: The Pragmatic Maxim |
"How to Make Our Ideas Clear" (138-47) |
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31 W |
Peirce: The Pragmatic Maxim |
"How to Make Our Ideas Clear" (147-50) |
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Feb. |
Topic |
reading |
assignments due |
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2 F |
James: Introduction. The Will to Believe. |
-- |
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5 M |
James: The Will to Believe |
"The Will to Believe" (221-29) |
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7 W |
James: The Will to Believe |
"The Will to Believe" (230-46) |
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9 F |
review/catch-up |
-- |
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12 M |
Test #1 |
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14 W |
Discussion of term paper assignment. James: The Pragmatic Method |
"What Pragmatism Means" (289-95) |
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16 F |
James: Pragmatism About Truth |
"What Pragmatism Means" (295-301) |
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19 M |
James: Pragmatic Theism |
"What Pragmatism Means" (301-307) |
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21 W |
James: Truth and Knowledge |
"Pragmatism's Conception of Truth" (309-15) |
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23 F |
James: Truth and Knowledge |
"Pragmatism's Conception of Truth" (315-28) |
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26 M |
Dewey: Introduction |
-- |
term paper proposal |
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28 W |
Dewey: Truth |
“Truth and Consequences” (341-52) |
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Mar. |
topic |
reading |
assignments due |
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2 F |
Dewey: Truth |
“Truth and Consequences” (352-60) |
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5 M |
Dewey: Knowledge |
“The Quest for Certainty” (379-84) |
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7 W |
Dewey: Knowledge |
“The Quest for Certainty” (384-94) |
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9 F |
NO CLASS: DR. LANE IS ATTENDING A CONFERENCE |
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12 M |
Dewey: Inquiry |
“Common Sense and ...” (443-53) |
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14 W |
Dewey: Inquiry |
“Common Sense and ...” (453-63) |
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16 F |
Test #2 |
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19 M |
SPRING BREAK |
-- |
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21 W |
SPRING BREAK |
-- |
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23 F |
SPRING BREAK |
-- |
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26 M |
Hook: Naturalism |
“Naturalism & First Principles” (529-40) |
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28 W |
Hook: Naturalism |
“Naturalism & First Principles” (540-48) |
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30 F |
Hook: Naturalism |
“Naturalism & First Principles” (548-56) |
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Apr. |
topic |
Reading |
assignments due |
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2 M |
Putnam: Truth and Reality |
"Is There Still Anything to Say" (621-28) |
term paper (draft) |
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4 W |
Putnam: Truth and Reality |
"Is There Still Anything to Say" (628-32) |
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6 F |
Putnam: Echoes of James & Dewey |
-- |
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9 M |
Rorty's "vulgar pragmatism" |
"Pragmatism, Relativism & ...” (635-40) |
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11 W |
Rorty's "vulgar pragmatism" |
"Pragmatism, Relativism & ...” (640-43) |
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13 F |
Rorty's "vulgar pragmatism" |
"Pragmatism, Relativism & ...” (643-54) |
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16 M |
Rorty's "vulgar pragmatism" |
“Pragmatism as Anti-...” (657-67) |
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18 W |
Rorty's "vulgar pragmatism" |
“Pragmatism as Anti-...” (667-72) |
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20 F |
Peirce and Rorty in conversation |
“We Pragmatists” (675-95) |
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23 M |
review/catch-up |
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term paper (final) |
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30 M |
Comprehensive Final Exam: Monday April 30, 11am-1pm |
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IMPORTANT
DATES: January 8-10 Drop/Add and late
registration March 1 Last
Day to withdraw with grade of "W" April 26 Last
Day of Regular Class
This page last updated 2/8/2007.
Copyright © 2006 Robert Lane. All rights reserved.