Schedule of Assignments

Date to be discussed

Reading (with links to study questions and online readings)

Wednesday, Feb. 1

Introductory session

Friday, Feb. 3

Blackburn , Think, Introduction, pp.1-13

Monday, Feb. 6

Plato, Euthyphro

Wednesday. Feb. 8

Plato, Apology

Friday, Feb. 10

Plato, Crito

Monday, Feb. 13

Plato, Meno

Wednesday, Feb. 15

Plato, Phaedo (1^st half)

Friday, Feb. 17

Plato, Phaedo (2^nd half) 

Monday, Feb. 20

Descartes, Meditations 1 and 2; Blackburn , pp. 15-21;

Wednesday, Feb. 22

Blackburn , pp. 22-32

Friday, Feb. 24

Descartes, Meditation 3; Blackburn , pp. 32-37

Monday, Feb. 27

Descartes, Meditation 4 (just through AT 54, i.e., the first three paragraphs); Blackburn , pp. 37-48; Hume, Enquiry, Section XII, just the first two pages; 1^st paper due

Wednesday, March 1

Descartes, AT 78 and AT 86 in Meditation 6 (two paragraphs containing arguments for the separateness of mind and body); Blackburn , Chapter 2, pp. 49-65

Friday, March 3

Blackburn , Chapter 2, pp. 65-80

Monday, March 6

Blackburn , Chapter 3, pp. 81-99

Wednesday, March 8

Hume, Enquiry, Section VIII, "Of Liberty and Necessity"

Friday, March 10

Blackburn , Chapter 3, pp. 100-119

Monday March 13

Blackburn , Chapter 4

Wednesday, March 15

Review (Click here for notes on Blackburn)

Friday, March 17

Mid-term Exam  (possible test questions here)

March 18-26

Spring Break

Monday, March 27

Blackburn , Chapter 5, pp. 149-158; Descartes, Meditation 5, AT 65-68

Wednesday, March 29

Blackburn , Chapter 5, pp. 159-163

Friday, March 31

Blackburn, Chapter 5, pp. 163-168; Hume, Enquiry, Section XI, "Of Divine Providence ..."

Monday, April 3

Blackburn , Chapter 5, pp. 168-176; Descartes, Meditation IV

Wednesday, April 5

Blackburn , Chapter 5, pp. 176-185; Hume, Enquiry, Section X, "Of Miracles"

Friday, April 7

Blackburn , Chapter 5, pp. 189-192; Articles on faith by Taylor and Scriven (handout)

Monday, April 10

Article on Immortality by D.Z.Phillips (handout)

Wednesday, April 12

Blackburn , Chapter 6, pp. 211-217: Hume, Enquiry, Section IV,  

Friday, April 14

No class  

Monday, April 17

Wednesday, April 19

Selections from Aristotle, Rousseau, and Burke (online)

Friday, April 21

Selections from Hobbes (online)

Monday, April 24

Locke, Second Treatise of Government, Chapters II, III, and IV; editor’s introduction, vii to xvi

Wednesday, April 26

Locke, Second Treatise of Government, Chapter V; editor’s introduction, xvi to xix

Friday, April 28

Locke, Second Treatise of Government, Chapters IX and XI; editor’s introduction, xix to xxi

Monday, May 1

Selections from Equality by R. H. Tawney (online)  

Wednesday, May 3

"Equality, Value, and Merit" by F. A. Hayek (online)

Friday, May 5

 "Rawls' Defense of the Liberal Democratic Welfare State" by Stephen Nathanson (Handout)  

Monday, May 8

 Second Paper Due (Instructions here)

Wednesday, May 10

Friday, May 12

Review

Monday, May 15, 10:00AM 

Final Exam (in our regular classroom) for section 4

Wednesday, May 17, 10:00 AM

Final Exam (in our regular classroom) for section 6