Instructor: Pirachula Chulanon

E-Mail: [email protected]

Office Location: JOR436

Office Hours: Tue 10:00-12:00 a.m. or by appointment

Course Description (from TMU Undergraduate Calendar)

This course traces themes in the epistemology and metaphysics of leading thinkers of the rationalist movement of the  17th and  18th  century.  Rationalists  thought reason alone  could  discover  significant metaphysical principles and truths. This course examines their various answers to questions such as: What can we know about the world? What roles do reason and sensation play in knowledge? How is the mind related to the body? How are thought and perception related? (Prerequisites: a minimum of five PHL/CPHL courses, which must include PHL708)

Objectives

Spinoza (1632-1677) was one of the most original and influential figures in the history of modern philosophy. Born into Amsterdam’s Portuguese-Jewish community and later excommunicated by it, Spinoza developed a philosophical system that combined elements from Cartesianism, medieval Jewish philosophy, and ancient Stoicism. Unique among major early modern philosophers in his absolute rejection of the authority of the Scripture and the Judeo-Christian theology, Spinoza was a pivotal influence leading to the intellectual, cultural, and political revolution known as the Enlightenment. In this seminar, we will examine the development and the key ideas of Spinoza’s metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of mind, and ethics, through a careful reading of his magnum opus, the Ethics. We will consider ways in which Spinoza’s controversial doctrine of substance monism can be seen as radicalization of Cartesianism and explore how his distinctive conception of reality and the human mind can serve as a basis for reimagining the ethical life and the political community.

Required Texts

Edwin Curley (ed.). A Spinoza Reader: The Ethics and Other Works. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1994.

(Abbreviated as SR in the reading schedule)

Additional readings will be provided on D2L.

Course Requirements and Evaluation

1.   Participation                                            15%

2.   Short Paper 1                                           25%

3.   Short Paper 2                                           25%

4.   Final Paper                                              35%

Participation

Since this class is a seminar class, you are expected to be present and on time for all class meetings. In addition, you are expected to come to class prepared and actively engage in the discussion. For each unexcused absence, you will lose one participation point (i.e., 1% of final grade). Three or more unexcused absences will result in a zero on participation grade. The intensive weekend will count as five class meetings.

Short Papers

In this course, you will write two short papers (ca. 1,200 words/5 pages double-spaced). For each paper, you will do two things: (1) choose one proposition from Spinoza’s Ethics and explain how exactly that proposition logically follows from other propositions and axioms;  (2) identify at least one interpretive problem  (e.g., ambiguity  about  how  a  certain  concept  or  claim  is  to  be  understood,  apparent  contradiction,  etc.)  or philosophical objection to Spinoza’s argument and explain how you think Spinoza would respond to the problem or objection. All written assignments for this course are to be submitted through D2L as a pdf (standard fonts, 12 points, double-spaced).

Final Paper

The final paper is intended to give you the opportunity to explore a question that interests you in greater depth and with greater flexibility. Final papers should be between 12-15 pages double-spaced. While you are free to choose your own topic, your paper must address a philosophical issue and be centered around a close reading of passages from the Ethics. You are required to meet with me by the end of Week 10 (by April 7) to discuss a potential topic for your paper and have it approved (submitted papers whose topics have not been previously approved will not be graded).

Course Policies

You are required to adhere to all relevant university policies found in your online course shell in D2L and on the Senate website (https://www.torontomu.ca/senate/course-outline-policies/).

Deadlines and Extensions

Late submissions will be penalized by 1/3 of a letter grade per day (e.g., submission marked with an A will receive a A- if late by one day). Extensions must be arranged with me by email before the deadline and will only be granted in cases of demonstrated need and as permitted by the University’s final exam schedule.

Academic Dishonesty

It is your responsibility to acknowledge another person’s ideas as well as any written or electronic sources you have consulted, quoted, or used in your work. Plagiarism is a serious misconduct. Assignments involving plagiarism will receive no credit, and students who commit it will be reported for disciplinary action according to university policy.

By taking this course, you agree that your written work will be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com. If you do not want your work submitted to this plagiarism detection service, you must consult with me to make alternate arrangements by the end of the second week of class. However, if I have reason to suspect that an individual piece of work has been plagiarized, I am permitted to submit that work in a non- identifying way to any plagiarism detection service.

Disabilities

If you have a diagnosed disability that impacts your academic experience, please reach out to Academic Accommodation  Support  (AAS: https://www.torontomu.ca/accommodations/). All  communication with AAS is voluntary and confidential.

Course Schedule