Course Requirements
There will be three papers assigned throughout the semester. One's final grade will be determined by one's written work, and a grade assigned for the student's participation. The participation grade includes the following requirements.Each Tutorial student is required to email the tutor a question about the reading by 11am on the day of each tutorial. These questions should reflect that you are thinking about the reading, and should ideally be 2-3 sentences. Of course, you may write more (in fact, you are encouraged to write more, because it is good to get in the habit of writing about what you read), but the tutor only promises to read the first two paragraphs, so put the important stuff up front. It's important to realize that these questions will not be graded: provided that the questions show their authors are thinking critically about the readings, the questions either count or do not count. Each student is, additionally, permitted to opt out of this assignment twice.
Student are required to participate in the class discussion. Since this puts something of an undue burden on students who are either a bit shy or wish to take more time formulating their points before speaking, students are encouraged to send reflections on class discussions to the class after our discussions. The tutor will try to summarize these discussions at the beginning of the next class session. Like the emailed questions, participation will not be graded on the depth of the discussion, as long as students' discussion reflects serious engagement with the material. (So there is no need to try to be profound: just say what you think is the right thing to say.)
Finally, each student is required to lead the discussion of one session. Presentations will receive one of two grades: Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. Satisfactory presentations are those that are not disorganized, do not show signs of hasty preparation, and do reflect some critical engagement with the material.
First paper, 2-3 pages (due March 7): 20%.
Second paper, 3-4 pages/1250 words maximum (due April 11): 30%.
Third paper, 5-7 pages/2000 words maximum (due May 2): 35%.
Participation: 15%.
Reading assignments
Week 1 (2-14-06): Introduction to Berkeley's Principles
Week 2 (2-21-06): Berkeley's Principles, Sections 1-84. (Apologies that this week's reading is somewhat lengthy.)
Week 3 (2-28-06): Berkeley's Principles, Sections 85-117, 135-156.
Week 4 (3-7-06): First paper due! Second Dialogue of Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonus.
Week 5 (3-14-06): Third Dialogue: Beginning up to "between spirit and matter" (about 7 pages); then "But denying matter" to "which some men are fond of" (about 1 page); then "After all, can it be supposed" to "their gross original sense" (about 7 pages); then "I agree to all you have now said" to the end (about 4 pages).
Week 6 (3-21-06): Hume Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, IV and V.
Week 7 (3-28-06): Spring Break.
Week 8 (4-4-06): Section VII of Hume's Enquiry.
Week 9 (4-11-06): Second Paper Due! Section X of Hume's Enquiry
Week 10 (4-18-06): Parts II and III of Hume's Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion
Week 11 (4-25-06): Dialogues IV-VI.
Week 12 (5-2-06): Dialogues VII-IX.
Third Paper Due, 5-5-06!
Office Hours
Thursdays, 11-12 in Emerson 008
Paper Topics
Paper 1: Elucidate and elaborate a Berkeleyan argument for the following claim:
An idea can only resemble an idea.
Paper 2: Word limit: 1250 words!!! Choose from the following options:
(A) Do Hume's criticisms of occasionalism at the end of Section VII.1 apply to Berkeley? Explain why one might think they do, and why one might think they don't. Then argue for your own answer to the question, addressing the reasons you've considered earlier that suggest your position is wrong.
(B) Berkeley and Hume both attempt to overturn received conceptions of certain commonplace (though philosophical) notions. Compare one of the following. (1) The way their underlying approaches to philosophy affects their arguments. (2) Their strategies for arguing that the received opinions should be replaced by their respective revisions. For whichever option you choose, defend a position on how successful Berkeley and Hume are in these endeavors. Note: This paper topic will be available for the final paper as well, so if you wish to write on it then, you should choose another topic now.
(C) In class I raised an objection to Hume's argument in Section IV of the Enquiry, claiming that Hume doesn't address the possibility of knowing a general causal principle, rather than specific causal principles. Assess the prospects for this objection. You may include discussion of relevant passages from Hume's Treatise.
(D) Some topic of your choosing, subject to my approval by Thursday, April 6.