Earlham College, Spring Semester 2011-2012
Monday, Thursday 2:30-3:50; Carpenter 320
Instructor: Ferit Güven
Office: Carpenter 328
Office Hours: By appointment
Office Phone: 983-1399
e-mail: guvenfe@earlham.edu
web page: http://www.earlham.edu/~guvenfe
Moodle page: https://moodle.earlham.edu/course/view.php?id=1515

Course Description: This course will be a survey of 19th century continental philosophy.  We will analyze 19th Century philosophy as a continuation of Kant's critical philosophy.  Initially we will concentrate on the questions of system, idealism and freeedom. We will start our readings with selections from Kant's Critique of Pure Reason and Grounding for Metaphysics of Morals. After this introduction to Kant, we will read Schelling's Philosophical Investigations into the Essence of Human Freedom.  Schelling tries to conceptualize a post-Kantian idealism and investigates the role of freedom in the system of idealism within the paradigm of subjectivity. Next, we will read Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit, possibly the most crucial work of German Idealism, which attempts to solve the problem of modern epistemology as well as the dichotomy between idealism and realism.  Hegel rejects earlier attempts to reach a system through immediacy and articulates his version of the system through the dialectical movement of spirit. The second part of the course will concentrate on reactions (both positive and negative) to Hegel's system. Marx and Kierkegaard respond to Hegel's idea of system and his idealism.  In the context we will read selected passages from Marx's Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts, and Kierkegaard's The Sickness unto Death.

Required Texts: On Moodle:
Kant, Critique of Pure Reason, Grounding for Metaphysics of Morals
Schelling, F.W.J. Philosophical Investigations into the Essence of Human Freedom
Hegel, G.W.F. Phenomenology of Spirit
Marx, Karl. Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts
Kierkegaard, Søren. The Sickness unto Death

This course is mainly oriented toward close reading and discussion of texts. I expect you to read every text assigned for the week at least twice. Some of the passages we will read are difficult. Instead of getting discouraged, try to formulate your difficulties in order to be able to discuss them during class sessions.

Requirements and Evaluation: You are expected to write two short papers (5-8 pages) and one long paper (10-12 pages). The short papers will be mainly explanation or exegesis of the text. I will provide topics for each of these assignments. One of these papers will be on Kant and Schelling and the other on Hegel.  For the last paper you will be asked to write on the dialogue and/or criticism between either Hegel and Marx, or Hegel and Kierkegaard. This paper will have a broad perspective incorporating major themes and ideas we discuss during the semester. For every paper you are responsible for following the general guidelines provided. See Comments and Suggestions for Papers

Each student will prepare one protocol. A protocol is a carefully edited summary/notes of the previous two class sessions written in full sentences. Protocols will be 2 single-spaced pages and will be photocopied by the student who wrote it and handed out to all students at the beginning of each week to be read aloud.  The protocol will serve as a cumulative record of the course. In addition to reviewing the material covered in the previous class, it should include announcements made in class and questions not addressed in class. The best protocols will be those that do not simply reproduce word for word everything that was said during class, but that rearrange the material thematically, editing out what was unimportant and emphasizing what was significant. One of the advantages of the protocols is to allow you to think during class and not just take notes; because someone will be taking notes for you, you can concentrate on the ideas being presented, and participate without having to write constantly. Also, you will have a summary of every class which will help you with writing papers.

There might be announced or unannounced quizzes either at the beginning or at the end of the sessions in order to ensure that the students are completing the reading. There will be no make-ups for the quizzes.
Your grade will be calculated according to the following distribution: Paper 1: 20%; Paper 2: 20%; Final Paper: 25%; Protocol: 15%; Quizzes: 10%; Class participation and attendance: 10%. There will be no final examination.

The success of this course depends on your contribution. In order for all of us to have a good course your individual contribution will be necessary. Given the size of the class, missing a session will be very disruptive for all of us. Consequently, you should feel a responsibility not only to me and to yourself (for the sake of your grade), but also to your friends in this course. I am generally not inclined to legislate strict attendance policies, with the conviction that you will be mature enough to attend all classes. However, if you miss more than four sessions, you will fail this course regardless of your grade.

Our sessions will start at 2:30 pm. Students are expected to come on time. Walking into (and out of) the classroom while the session is in progress is very disruptive for everybody. For every two late attendance (or early exit) you will be marked as absent for one class session..

Calendar: On Moodle