19TH C.

PHILOSOPHY

19TH C. Philosophy PHIL 374/2 A M, W 10:15-11:30 H-629

Asst. Prof. Susan Songsuk Hahn Dept. of Philosophy Office Hours: M, W 12:00-13:00 PR 304, x2524 shahn@alcor.concordia.ca

COURSE DESCRIPTION This course will introduce students to 19th century philosophy, as it was developed and pursued by philosophers such as, Goethe, Kant, Herder, and the post-Kantians, Schelling and Hegel. Our focus this will be on philosophical conceptions of nature, naturalism, and natural philosophy that originated out of philosophical reflections on the empirical sciences and scientific method of the day. We will begin with Enlightenment theories of matter, life, and generation in the age of J.W. von Goethe (1749-1832). Topics will include Goethes empiricist, scientific methodology, with special application to his botanical writings and his theory of metamorphosis of plants. We will look at Goethes color experiments and theory of colors, as an application of his scientific methodology. Goethe's natural philosophy will provide the key background to examining how German Idealists views on nature peacefully coexist with materialists proposals. In the late 19th century, out of important developments in the areas of history of science and the natural sciences, grew further subareas and debates: the German Idealists were wrestling with materialist views and were trying to reconcile our aesthetic and moral responses to nature with the current scientific view of nature: a purely mechanistic explanation of organic processes would seem to diminish those distinctively aesthetic and moral responses. In this connection, we will explore themes in Kant about how nature interacts with beauty: Does science provide us with a model for understanding art? Or are natural science and the theme of beauty to be separated? Well explore Kants views on whether nature is organized so as to be optimally cognizable by human consciousness, and whether nature and natural beauty gives us access to a very different kind of noncognitive judgment. The post-Kantian, Romantic Naturphilosophen were preoccuped with nature and art. Schelling in particular will be an interesting figure for exploring interconnections between Goethes naturalism and Kants 3rd critique. Our investigation of natural philosophy will conclude with examining life and nature in Hegels philosophy of nature. Selections of texts will include investigations into some of the same natural phenomena we encountered in Goethes scientific writings (from Hegels Encyclopedia: Organics The Plant Nature). Following Goethes scientific writings, we will see Hegel develop a new research methodology (dialectical naturalism), in order to develop the very concepts that we need to make sense of natures complexity. Texts will include passages on the concept of Life and logic of living organisms in the later Logic. REQUIRED TEXTS: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Botanical Writings (Woodbridge, Conn: Oxbow Press, 1952) Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Theory of Colors (Cambridge: MIT Press, 1970) Herder. On the Change of Taste (1766), in Herder: Philosophical Writings, ed. Michael N. Forster. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. [CP] Hume. Of the Standard of Taste [CP]

Immanuel Kant. Critique of the Power of Judgment. Ed. Paul Guyer. (Cambridge: Cambridge UP). Part II: Teleology of Judgment (CJ) Schellings form essay [CP] Hegel. Encyclopedia, Part II: Philosophy of Nature, trans. A. V. Miller (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1970). Organics: The Plant Nature [CP] Hegel Science of Logic: passages on life [CP] All books ordered at Concordia bookstore. Course pack will be available at digital store. REQUIREMENTS: All students taking the course for credit are required to write two papers: (1) First paper: due on October 31, 2011, Mon. by 5 p.m. Length should be roughly 6 pages. (2) Second paper: due last day of class on December 5, 2011, Mon. by 5 p.m. Length roughly 7-8 pages. I am required by the University to add a caveat about plagiarism: please familiarize yourself with the Universitys code of academic conduct on the issue of plagiarism at the website. (3) Time permitting, students wil have the option of giving a short, ungraded 15 minute oral presentation in class on one of the topics we are covering. Not required, but pedagogically useful. Attendance is required, and participation valued and encouraged. Come in on time, as coming in late disturbs the lectures and other students. Please, no laptops (I will explain the important reason why in class). Please, no eating (picnic-like spreads) in class. Turn off your cellphones before class. Office Hours: M, W 12:00-13:00, PR 304, x2524

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SCHEDULE OF TOPICS PART I: SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN THE AGE OF GOETHE Sept. 7, 2011, W Introduction to course: Scientific model of nature: Goethes Empirical Methodology: Two Methods: Empirical Realism and Idealism Read: Empirical Observations and Science (1798) [handout in class] Sept. 12, M Goethes scientific writings on method (continued): Read: The Experiment as Mediator between Subject and Object (1792) [handout] Goethe on Intuitive Perception: On Kants distinction between intuitive and discursive understanding in 76-77, Critique of Judgment Read: Fortunate Encounter [handout] Goethes Botanical Writings: Goethes Metamorphosis of Plants: Ur-Leaf or Archetype Read: First Essay, Metamorphosis of Plants, pp 31-77. Metamorphosis of Plants: Preformation Theory and Epigenesis Read: Second Essay, Metamorphosis of Plants, pp. 78-118. Metamorphosis of Plants (cont): Gaps and transitions Problems with idea of Archetype Goethes experimental procedure applied to color: Goethes Theory of Color (1810): Part I: Physiological Colors Read: pp. 2-44, 1-100. Goethes Theory of Color: Part I: Physiological Colors (cont): Phantoms of the Eye Goethes Theory of Colors: Part II: Physical Colors: Critique of Isaac Newtons Opticks Read: pp.56-126, 136-305. Thanksgiving, University closed

Sept. 14, W

Sept. 19, M

Sept. 21, W

Sept. 26, M

Sept. 28, W

Oct. 3, M Oct. 5, W

Oct. 10, M

PART II: ART AND NATURE Oct. 12, W Oct. 17, M Herders naturalism Read: On the Change of Taste (1766) [CP] Humes Naturalist Aesthetics

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Read: On the Standard of Taste (1775) [CP] Oct. 19, W Oct. 24, M Oct. 26, W Oct. 31, M Kants Antinomy of Taste Part I: Aesthetic in Critique of the Power of Judgment (1790) Kants Organicism in Part II: Teleological Judgment Mechanical v. a special kind of causality in nature Catch up day Kant on Purposiveness in Organic Nature: Extermal v. internal purposes, relative v. internal purposes Read: 64-66 Note: 1st papers due Nov. 2, W Nov. 7 M Nov. 9, W Nov. 14, M Nov. 16, W Nov. 21, M Regulative v. constitutive principles of purpose Read: 70: Antinomy of Teleological Judgment Kant on Intuitive Judgment: Read: 76-77. Kant cont. Schelling on the Urform and Intuitive Judgment Read: Schelling, Form Essay [CP] Schelling (cont). Hegels Organic Conception of Life: Read: Encylopedia, Part II, Philosophy of Nature: chapter on plant nature [CP]; see esp. pp.303-311, on Goethes Metamorphosis of Plants. Hegels dialectical naturalism: The Logic of Life: Read: the categories of Life and Teleology in later Logic [CP] Hegels Philosophy of Nature (cont) Tba Last class: 2nd papers due

Nov. 23, W Nov. 28, M Nov. 30, W Dec. 5, M