Date to be discussed

Reading (with links to notes and study questions)

Wednesday, Jan. 30

Introductory session

Friday, Feb. 1

Blackburn , Think, Introduction, pp.1-13

Monday, Feb. 4

Plato, Euthyphro

Wednesday. Feb. 6

Plato, Apology

Friday, Feb. 8

Plato, Crito

Monday, Feb. 11

Plato, Meno

Wednesday, Feb. 13

Plato, Phaedo (1^st half)

Friday, Feb. 15

Plato, Phaedo (2^nd half) 

Monday, Feb. 18

Descartes, Meditations 1 and 2; Blackburn , pp. 15-21; 1^st paper due

Wednesday, Feb. 20

Blackburn , pp. 22-32 (catch-up)

Friday, Feb. 22

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

Monday, Feb. 25

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;

Wednesday, Feb. 27

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, Feb. 29

Blackburn , Chapter 2, pp. 65-80

Monday, March 3

Blackburn , Chapter 3, pp. 81-99

Wednesday, March 5

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

Friday, March 7

Blackburn , Chapter 3, pp. 100-119 (especially, pages 100-110);  Blackburn , Chapter 4 (especially, pages 120-125 and pages 138-148)

Monday March 10

Review (Notes on Blackburn, Chapters 2-4);  (possible exam questions here)

Wednesday, March 12

No class

Friday, March 14

Mid-term Exam (possible exam questions here)

March 15-23

Spring Break

Monday, March 24

Blackburn , Chapter 6, pp. 211-217: Hume, Enquiry, Sections IV and V

Wednesday, March 26

Blackburn , Chapter 6, pp. 225-232; “Relativism and the Constructive Aspects of Perception” by Chris Swoyer, online at http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/relativism/supplement1.html ; "The Nature and Necessity of Scientific Revolutions" by T. S. Kuhn, online at http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/us/kuhn.htm

Friday, March 28

Hume, Enquiry, Section XII

Monday, March 31

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

Wednesday, April 2

Blackburn, Chapter 5, pp. 159-168 ; Hume, Enquiry, Section XI, "Of Divine Providence ..."

Friday, April 4

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

Monday, April 7

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

Wednesday, April 9

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

Friday, April 11

Article on God by D.Z.Phillips (Online here)

Monday, April 14

Selections from Aristotle (online here) and Burke (online here)  justifying inequality and hierarchical social relations

Wednesday, April 16

Selections from Hobbes on the natural equality of ‘man’ (online here)

Friday, April 18

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

Monday, April 21

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

Wednesday, April 23

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

Friday, April 25

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

Monday, April 28

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

Wednesday, April 30

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

Friday, May 2

Locke, Second Treatise of Government, Sections 77-82 (pp. 42-44)  Selections from  Rousseau (online here), and notes on Mill (online here);  Second paper due (assignment here)

Monday, May 5

“After the Family Wage” by Nancy Fraser (online link -- sign in with your Netmail username and password)

Wednesday, May 7

“Equality in a Multicultural Society” by Bhikhu Parekh (online here)

Friday, May 9

Review (possible test questions)

Monday, May 12, 10:00AM

Final Exam   (possible test questions)