UMass Philosophy 321 – History of Modern Philosophy

Course description: This course offers an introductory survey to the history of 17th and 18th century Western (European) Philosophy. Topics include skepticism, the mind-body relationship, the existence of God, the problem of induction, the distinction between primary and secondary qualities, personal identity, causation, and a priori versus a posteriori knowledge. Thinkers to be discussed include Descartes, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant.

Prerequisite: One course in philosophy or permission of instructor.

Contact info: My office is 358 Bartlett. My office hours are Mondays 4–5pm and Wednesdays 12:15–1:15pm and by appointment. My office phone is (413) 545-5784. My email address is klement@philos.umass.edu.

Web pages: We have a “public” site at http://courses.umass.edu/klement/321/. However, most pertinent information is on our Moodle site, where you can download course readings, participate in discussion boards, submit your papers and check your grades. Log in at https://moodle.umass.edu.

Readings: The texts for this course are “classics” of Western philosophy (see reverse for titles); they are in the public domain and are available online for free. Preferred download links are listed on Moodle.

Requirements and grading: Your grade for this course is based on three papers (25% each), and attendance and participation (25% total).

Papers: You are to write three 6–8 page papers which aim to constitute critical and original discussion of one or more of the thinkers discussed in this course and the philosophical issues their work raises. Detailed assignments will be handed out usually 1–2 weeks prior to their due dates, which are listed tentatively on the reverse. Papers must be submitted electronically through Moodle.

As a condition of continued enrollment in this course, you agree to submit all papers to the Turnitin service for textual comparison and originality review for the detection of possible plagiarism. All submitted assignments will be included in the UMass Amherst dedicated database of assignments at Turnitin and will be used solely for the purpose of checking for possible plagiarism in the grading process during this term and in the future.

Discussion: You are expected to attend class regularly and participate by asking questions, requesting clarification, challenging arguments and premises, responding to classmates, and so on. You may also participate in discussion on our Moodle discussion boards.

Note that participation is worth a significant amount of your grade and should be taken seriously. Before class begins, make a list of topics and points you wish to discuss. Check the discussion board several times a week.

Grading criteria:

• A work in philosophy is well-organized and well-written. The arguments and positions stated within the assigned reading are presented accurately and concisely, and original argument or analysis is offered in a compelling way.
• B work in philosophy is work that has some of the merits and characteristics of A work, but not to a degree that warrants an A.
• C work in philosophy is that in which the writing and organization is average or undistinguished, that exhibits some misunderstanding of the assigned reading, or that contains no argument or analysis that goes significantly beyond lecture or class discussion.
• D work in philosophy is that in which the writing or organization is poor, that exhibits serious misunderstanding of the assigned reading, or that contains grave errors in the use of philosophical methods (arguments, appeals to evidence, etc.)
• F work in philosophy is that in which the writing is so poor as to be unacceptable work from a college student, that exhibits egregious misunderstanding of the assigned reading, or that contains pervasive errors in the use of philosophical methods.

A tentative course schedule and list of reading assignments: (subject to change)

• Phil 398W: Junior Year Writing page
• Kevin’s homepage
• UMass philosophy