PHH 4700

Semester I, 2002

Mr. Silver

 

                      AMERICAN PHILOSOPHY

 

 

I.          Texts:

 

            1. A Jonathan Edwards Reader, ed. John E. Smith, et. al. (New Haven, 1995).

            2. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays (Cambridge, MA, 1987).

            3. Henry David Thoreau, Walden and Resistance to Civil Government (New York, 1992)

            4. William James, Essays in Pragmatism (New York, 1948).

5. Josiah Royce, The Philosophy of Loyalty (Nashville, 1995).

            6. John Dewey, The Public and Its Problems (Athens, OH, 1954)

 

II.        Assigned Readings and Examinations:

 

            8/27: Scope and limits of the course.

            8/29: American Philosophy: Features, Trends and Contexts.

            9/3-24: A Jonathan Edwards Reader (Selections to be announced on 8/29).

            9/26-10/22: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays (Selections to be announced by or before 9/24).

            10/24-29: Henry David Thoreau, Walden.

            10/31: Midterm Examination.

            11/5-11/14: William James, Essays in Pragmatism (Essays to be announced by or before

            10/29).

            11/19-26: Josiah Royce, The Philosophy of Loyalty.

            12/3-5: John Dewey, The Public and Its Problems.

12/7-13: Final Examination Week (There will be a final examination in this course.  I will announce the scheduled date and time on 8/29).

 

III.       Critical Papers:

 

Every student who expects to receive academic credit for this course must submit two critical papers.  (1) The first of these papers is on some facet of Jonathan Edwards' philosophical theology.  (2) The second paper is on some aspect of the philosophy of any other thinker under “Assigned Readings" (II. above) for the course.  I will discuss (1) and (2) during the first meeting of the course.  Each paper must be typed or computer-printed and must be a full 6 pages long (1,500 words).  The first paper is due not later than 9/26, and the second paper not later than 12/5.  I WILL NOT ACCEPT LATE PAPERS OR PAPERS THAT FALL SHORT OF THE REQUIRED LENGTH. 

 

IV.       Computation of a Course Grade:

 

1.         Midterm Examination = 15%

2.         Final Examination = 30%

3.         First Paper = 20%

4.         Second Paper = 25%

5.         Three Unannounced Quizzes = 10%[1]

 

V.        Course Objective:

 

The principal aim of this course is to introduce upper division undergraduate students to some of the important thinkers and intellectual trends in American philosophy and speculative thought.

 

VI.       Office and Office Hours:

 

            FAO 233

            T 12:00-1:00, Th 11:00-12:00

            Phone 813-974-5405

            E-mail bsilver@chuma1.cas.usf.edu


[1] I will explain the nature and importance of these quizzes during the first meeting of the course.