The Modern Philosophy Graduate Seminar examines significant figures of 17th- and 18th-century philosophy, with emphasis on a careful examination of texts. Although the seminar provides a general overview of philosophic issues of the period, it also focuses on a particular theme. This year's theme centers on the concept of nature.

Texts:  Modern Philosophy: An Anthology of Primary Sources, ed. Roger Ariew and Eric Watkins.
          A Companion to Early Modern Philosophy, ed. Steven Nadler.
 

Class date		Topic	Nadler reading	Ariew/ Watkins reading	Presenter
Sept. 1	A. B.	Aristotelian Scholasticism, Renaissance Platonism, New Science, Gassendi, Bacon	1-59 80-95, 298-307	4-11	Dr. Daniel
Sept. 8	A. B.	Descartes: Method/Self (Meditations I-II) Descartes: God/Truth (Meditations III-IV)	60-79	12-34, 56-62 34-45, 63-70	Johnathan Bindel James Taylor
Sept. 15	A. B.	Descartes: Essence/Existence (Med. V-VI) Arnauld	60-79 113-28	45-55 57, 70-80	Manuela Gomez Bob Stanberry
Sept. 22	A. B.	Hobbes Grotius, Pufendorf	320-37 210-24	100-121	Steve Campbell Gregory Bergeron
Sept. 29	A. B.	Malebranche Cartesians	152-66 129-51, 167-209	389-412	Cale Harfoush Jennifer Parks
Oct. 6	A. B.	Spinoza: Method and God Spinoza: Mind and Freedom	225-46	97-99, 122-49 149-80	Shaun Miller Dave Wiens
Oct. 13	A. B.	Bayle Leibniz: Discourse, Arnauld letters	247-59 260-79	486-90 181-224	Joel Barton James Taylor
Oct. 15 (Friday)		First paper due 5:00 p.m.
Oct. 20	A. B.	Leibniz: Primary Truths to Monadology British Philosophy to Cambridge Platonists	260-79 283-97	225-43, 374-85	Mark Bernier Mike Jones
Oct. 27	A. B.	Boyle and Newton Locke	338-53, 388-403 354-74	244-48, 262-69 270-373	Shaun Miller Mark Bernier
Nov. 3	A. B.	English Malebrancheans English Women Philosophers	375-87 404-22		Cale Harfoush Manuela Gomez
Nov. 10	A. B.	Berkeley: Principles & Dialogues Berkeley: De Motu, Alciphron, Siris	437-55	386-88, 413-61 478-82	Mike Jones Joel Barton
Nov. 17	A. B.	Shaftesbury/Mandeville/Hutcheson Hume & Smith on Ethics	425-36 456-82		Jennifer Parks Dave Wiens
Nov. 24	A. B.	Hume on Epistemology Reid & Vico	527-41, 562-71	483-85, 491-572	Steve Campbell Johnathan Bindel
Dec. 1	A. B.	Kant on Epistemology Rousseau & Kant on Ethics	586-608	573-633	Gregory Bergeron Bob Stanberry
Dec. 15 (Wednesday)		Term paper due in office, 5:00 p.m.

Office: Bolton 302 B
Office hours: Monday & Wednesday 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Phone: 845-5619 (office), 846-4649 (home)
Email:   sdaniel@people.tamu.edu
Website: http://people.tamu.edu/~sdaniel/616sy04c.html
 

Seminar Theme

Seventeenth- and eighteenth-century philosophers differ significantly on what they mean by the terms "nature" and its variants (e.g., human nature, natural law, natural right), and their differences have generated a good deal of disagreement among historians about how to interpret their texts. Sometimes nature is understood as something extra-mental; other times, it includes all things (including mind) and is even equated with God.

For early modern thinkers, this discussion situates the ontological and epistemological characterization of nature within religious, ethical, and political contexts. So even though some of our readings might not seem to deal with metaphysical or epistemological questions about nature, in fact all of them bear on the issue.

Assignments/Presentations/Papers/Grades

At each class meeting a member of the seminar will prepare a 4- to 6-page outline of selected passages from the text and other writings by the philosophers under discussion that shed light on the seminar theme. Each student will lead the discussion twice during the semester. Together, these outline presentations count for 30% of the semester grade.

By mid-semester you will also be responsible for completing a 10-page paper on the concept of nature as addressed by one of the philosophers studied (another 30% of the final grade).

The final term paper will be a more in-depth (20-page) paper on that same topic dealing with a different philosopher than the one addressed in the short paper. For this paper, most students end up writing on a figure for whom they have prepared a presentation, but it is not required that the selected thinker be one that we study studied in class. The final paper is worth 40% of the final grade.

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Send Dr. Daniel a message: sdaniel@people.tamu.edu
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Go to the Texas A&M Philosophy Home Page

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