PHIL
309.001
LARKIN:
Spring 2003
SIUE
__________________________
I.
Course Information
A.
Name: Twentieth Century Analytic
Philosophy
B.
Number: PHIL 309.001
C.
Days/time: TR 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM
D.
Room: PH 2412
II.
Instructor Information
A.
Name: Dr. William S. Larkin
B.
Office: Peck Hall 2207
C.
Office Hours: TR 3:30-4:30 PM, and by appointment
D.
Office Phone: 650-2643
E.
E-Mail: wlarkin@siue.edu
III.
Course Description
The primary objective of this course is to introduce
students to some of the major themes, movements, and figures of twentieth
century analytic philosophy. We will
consider such prominent themes of analytic philosophy as realism, empiricism,
the relevance of logic and language to philosophy, and the relationship between
philosophy, science, and common sense.
We will organize the early analysts, somewhat artificially but usefully,
into several movements—common sense realists, logical atomists, logical positivists,
and ordinary language philosophers—and explore how these movements are related
to the outlooks of more contemporary analytic philosophers. Along the way we will delve into the work of
such towering figures of analytic philosophy as G.E. Moore, Bertrand Russell,
Gottlob Frege, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Rudolph Carnap, and W.V.O. Quine. We will be paying particular attention to
these and other philosophers’ ideas on how language, logic, and science relate
to the nature of reality and the function of philosophy. The secondary objective of the course is to
promote various critical thinking habits, analytical reasoning skills, and
active reading strategies.
A.
RENTAL:
V.
Course Requirements
1. Reading Journals (20%): There will be reading
questions given out for each week’s readings.
The objective of these questions is to promote active reading,
understanding, and participation in class discussion. Students will type up their answers to these questions and keep
them in a specially designated folder (a reading journal). These folders will be collected 2-4 times
over the course of the semester at random intervals and graded mainly on the
basis of effort. The cumulative score
on the reading journals will be worth 20% of the semester grade.
2. Tests (30%/ea.): There will be two (midterm
and final) take-home essay exams. Each
exam (approx. 6 pp. typed, double-spaced) will be worth 30% of the semester
grade.
3. Group Presentations (20%): Seven
groups will give a 15-minute presentation that outlines and launches a
discussion about the reading material for weeks 7-13. Each group will be graded as a unit—every member of the group
receiving the same grade. The grade for
the group presentation will be worth 20% of the semester grade.
VI.
Expectations
Genuine learning requires
two-way communication. Students are not
merely empty vessels waiting to be filled up with information—they come to this
course with various backgrounds, beliefs, skills and talents. My goal is (1) to incorporate some new
concepts, ideas, and perspectives into students’ pre-existing knowledge base,
and (2) to help students acquire and hone certain critical thinking habits and
argumentative skills. It is expected
that you will help facilitate this process by taking an active role in your own
learning process. Only with your active
participation can genuine learning occur, and only genuine learning will insure
success in the course.
I expect you to take an
active role in class by taking notes, participating in discussion, asking
questions, and providing feedback on how you are doing and how you think the
class is going. No behavior that manifests
a lack of respect for others or their learning objectives will be
tolerated. It is absolutely crucial
that everyone feel comfortable stating and defending his or her own views.
I expect you to take an
active role outside of class by keeping up on the assigned readings, completing
the assigned reading questions, reviewing notes, and coming to see me in office
hours whenever a question or problem arises.
I also want to encourage you to get together with fellow students to
discuss the material in the course and perhaps read related material that we
will not be covering. I am more than
willing to help with either of those projects in any way I can.
No kind or degree of academic dishonesty (i.e.,
cheating or plagiarism) will be tolerated.
Any such behavior on any assignment will certainly result in failing
that assignment, will probably result in failing the course, and may require
more drastic measures through official channels.
VIII.
Weekly Schedule
I.
Early Analysts: Realism,
Language, and Logic
Week One: Moore, “A Refutation of
Idealism ” (handout)
Week Two: Moore, “In Defense of Common
Sense” and “Proof of an External World”
Week Three: Frege,
“On Sense and Reference”
Week Four: Russell, “On Denoting”
Week Five: Russell, “On Denoting”
II.
Logical Positivism and its
Inspiration and Critique
Week Six: Wittgenstein, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus
Week Seven: Wittgenstein, Tractatus
Logico-Philosophicus
Week Eight: Ayer, “The Elimination
of Metaphysics”
Week Nine: Logical Positivism
Week Ten: Carnap, “Empiricism,
Semantics, and Ontology ”
(GROUP
#1)
III.
Ordinary Language Philosophy
Week Eleven: Quine, “Two Dogmas of Empiricism”
(GROUP #2)
Week Twelve: The Later Wittgenstein
IV.
Language, Translation, and
Metaphysics
Week Thirteen: Austin, “A Plea for Excuses”
(GROUP #3)
Week Fourteen: Quine, “Ontological Relativity” (handout)
(GROUP #4)
Week Fifteen: Summation