BRITISH PHILOSOPHY
Spring 2006: Philosophy 313

Professor Ernesto V. Garcia, Syracuse University

Class Meetings: TTh, 11-12:45
Office: 523 Hall of Languages, ext. 3-2519
E-mail: evgarc01@syr.edu
Office hours: T, 1-3 in Marshall Square Mall Dining Area

This course examines British philosophy, in particular the so-called “British empiricists”. We will focus on three topics: (1) the main intellectual background for the empiricists, including both (a) scholasticism (Aquinas) and (b) rationalism (Descartes); (2) various metaphysical and epistemological positions of the three main British empiricists, Locke, Berkeley, and Hume; and we will conclude by discussing (3) the “British moralists”, focusing on debates about natural law theory, self-love, egoism or self-interest, reason, and the moral sentiments, including thinkers such as Hobbes, Mandeville, Butler, Hume, and Adam Smith.

Required Texts [All available at Syracuse University Bookstore, except where otherwise noted]

Rene Descartes, The Discourse on Method and the Meditations (Hackett)
The Empiricists [E], ed. by Richard Taylor [includes (a) abridged version of Locke, Essay Concerning Human Understanding; and complete texts of (b) Berkeley, Three Dialogues and (c) Hume, Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding]
David Hume, Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals (Hackett)
Coursepack [CP] [NOTE: Available at The Copy Centers, 720 University Avenue in Marshall Square Mall, (315) 472-0546 – ask for Coursepack #1047]

Recommended Texts

The Empiricists: Critical Essays, ed. by Margaret Atherton (Rowman and Littlefield)

Grading

20% Quizzes
30% Final exam
30% 2 papers (5-7 pp.)

20% Class participation:

(a) Attendance/class discussion [10%]
(b) Blackboard Class Postings [10%]

CLASS READINGS

PART I: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND FOR BRITISH EMPIRICISM: Scholasticism, the New Mechanical Philosophy, and Continental Rationalism

T, 1/17
Overview of Early Modern Philosophy: Aristotelian Scholasticism, the New Mechanical Philosophy, and ‘Continental Rationalists’ vs. ‘British Empiricism’

Th, 1/19

Aquinas, "The Principles of Nature" (CP)

Week 2

T, 1/24
Conclude Aquinas; Galileo, "The Assayer" (CP)

Th, 1/26
Descartes on Skeptical Doubts and the Cogito

Meditations, Letter of Dedication, Meditations 1-2, pp. 47-50,

Week 3

T, 1/31
Descartes on Existence of God and the Cartesian Circle

Meditations 3-5, 50-81

Th, 2/2
Conclusion of Cartesian Circle; the Mind/Body Problem

Meditations 6, pp. 81-103, and Correspondence w/ Elisabeth of Bohemia (CP)

PART II: THE BRITISH EMPIRICISTS: Bacon, Locke, Berkeley, Hume

T, 2/7
Scientific Method and Intro to Locke: On the Nature and Origin of Our Ideas

Bacon, The New Organon, pp. 47-52 (CP); E, pp. 7-36

Th, 2/9
Locke (II) and (III): On Primary/Secondary Qualities; Substance; Personal Identity

E, pp. 37-75, and **Butler, “Of Personal Identity” (CP) [optional]

Week 5

T, 2/14
Locke (IV) on Personal Identity; Nature of Substance: Substratum, Real and Nominal Essences

E, pp. 75-117, xerox handout

Th, 2/16
Locke on Different Types of Knowledge – Intuitive, Demonstrative, Sensitive

E, pp. 75-117 (review)
In-class quiz

Week 6

T, 2/21
Conclude Locke and Comparison/Contrast with Descartes; Introduction to Berkeley

E, pp. 217-252 [1st Dialogue]

Th, 2/23
Finish Berkeley’s Critique of Matter; Role of God for the External World

E, 252-270 [2nd Dialogue]

Week 7

T, 2/28
Finish 2nd Dialogue; Berkeley on the Nature of God and Other Minds

E, pp. 270-305 [3rd Dialogue]

Th, 3/2
Conclude Berkeley; Hume on Association of Ideas and Causality (Pt.I)

E, pp. 307-333 [EHU, Sections I-IV]

Week 8

T, 3/7
Hume on Causality (Pt. II) and Scientific Reasoning

E, pp. 334-364 [EHU, Sections V-VII]

Th, 3/9
Hume vs. Locke on Free Will, Animal Reasoning, and Miracles

E, pp. 364-404 [Sections VIII-X]

SPRING BREAK, No class on March 14th and 16th

Week 9

T, 3/21
Hume on Skepticism

E, pp. 417-430 [Sections XII]
Treatise, 1.4.1 and 1.4.7 (CP)

Th, 3/23

Conclude Hume
Hobbes, Leviathan, pp. 18-57 (CP)

PART III: THE BRITISH MORALISTS: Hobbes, Mandeville, Hutcheson, Butler, Hume, Adam Smith

T, 3/28
Challenges to Traditional Morality

Finish Hobbes
Mandeville, A Fable of the Bees, pp.229-236 (CP)

Th, 3/30
Challenges to Traditional Morality II

Conclusion of Hobbes and Mandeville
IN-CLASS QUIZ

Week 11

T, 4/4
Moral Sentimentalism

Francis Hutcheson, An Inquiry Concerning Moral Good and Evil, pp. 261-288, 313-315, 317-321 (CP)

Th, 4/6
Butler on Human Nature

Butler, Fifteen Sermons, pp. 325-355 (CP)

Week 12

T, 4/11
Butler's Critique of Hobbesian Egoism

Butler, Fifteen Sermons, pp. 355-377 (CP)

Th, 4/13
Hume's Ethical Theory I

Hume, Enquiry Concerning Morals, Sections I-V, pp. 13-51

Week 13

T, 4/18
Hume's Ethical Theory II

Hume, Enquiry Concerning Morals, VI-IX, Appendix 1, pp. 51-88

T, 4/20

Catch-up class

Week 13

T, 4/25

MAYFEST – no classes

Th, 4/27
Sympathy and the Impartial Spectator

Smith, A Theory of Moral Sentiments (CP), pp. 201-225

Week 14

T, 5/2
Sympathy and the Impartial Spectator II

Smith, A Theory of Moral Sentiments (CP), pp. 225-254; Review and Summary