SELECTED FIGURES AND TRADITIONS IN WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
IN THE NINETEENTH, TWENTIETH, AND TWENTYFIRST CENTURIES
THREE CREDITS
SPRING, 2015
PROFESSOR: SHAUN MILLER
School email: shaun.miller@marquette.edu
READINGS
1. Textbook: Philosophy: A Historical Survey with Essential Readings , ninth
edition,
S.E. Stumpf and J. Fieser: pertinent chapters
2. Brief selections from the following books on the reserve shelf
:
a. Process and Reality , Alfred North Whitehead
3. Other recommended reference works :
a. A History of Philosophy , F. Copleston, S.J., Vol. VII
b. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (online)
TESTS
There will be three takehome examinations. The first, covering parts one, two, and
three, Hegel, utilitarianism, and Kierkegaard, will be due on Tuesday, February 24.
The second, covering parts four and five, Marx and Nietzsche, will be due on Tuesday,
March 26.
And the third, covering parts six, seven, eight, nine, and ten, pragmatism, process
thought, phenomenology, existentialism, and contemporary naturalism will be due on
Wednesday, May 6.
GRADING
The course grade will be the average of the three takehome test grades.
PLAGIARISM STATEMENT
Using another person’s words or unique ideas without citing the source in a submitted
assignment for a course is plagiarism. As intellectual theft and academic dishonesty, it
signifies a lack of the moral integrity required of theology students and seminarians. The
School Handbook (Chapter VII, Section H) details the academic and institutional
consequences for plagiarism, which can include dismissal from the school. All students
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are required to be familiar with and abide by this policy. In all cases of plagiarism by a
seminarian, the incident will be reported to the sponsoring diocese or religious institute.
COURSE OUTLINE:
I. HEGEL
January 1320: three periods. GET RID OF A DAY. SCHOPENHAUER??
Readings:
1. Stumpf:
a. Philosophy: pp. 321329
b. Readings: pp. 287293
c. Philosophy: pp. 329334
d. Readings: pp. 294299
II. UTILITARIANISM: BENTHAM AND MILL
January 23 February 3: four periods
Readings:
1. Stumpf:
a. Philosophy: 346360
b. Readings: 314319
c. Philosophy: 360361
d. Readings: 309314
III. KIERKEGAARD
February 613: three periods
Readings:
1. Stumpf:
a. Philosophy: 371377
2. Kierkegaard: from Moodle
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FIRST TAKEHOME TEST DUE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24
IV. MARX
February 1727: four periods
Readings:
1. Stumpf:
a. Philosophy: 377384
b. Reading: 319326
c. Philosophy: 384390
2. Marx: from Moodle
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SPRING BREAK: MARCH 17
K
V. NIETZSCHE
March 1020: four periods
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Readings:
1. Stumpf:
a. Philosophy: 390398
b. Reading: 327335
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SECOND TAKEHOME TEST DUE FRIDAY, MARCH 27
VI. PRAGMATISM: Pierce and James on Truth
March 2427: two periods
Readings:
1. Stumpf:
a. Philosophy: 404410
b. Reading: 353359
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EASTER BREAK: MARCH 30APRIL 6
K
CONTINUING PRAGMATISM: James on Free Will and Will to Believe
April 710: two periods
Readings:
2. Stumpf:
a. Philosophy: 410412
b. Reading: 347353
3. Clifford: from Moodle
4. James: from Moodle
VII. PROCESS THOUGHT: WHITEHEAD
April 14: one period
Readings:
1. Stumpf:
a. Philosophy: 424430
2. Reading: From Process and Reality
, Whitehead: Part Five: Final
Interpretation
VIII. HUSSERL'S PHENOMENOLOGY
April 17: one period
Readings:
1. Stumpf:
a. Philosophy: 454461
IX. TWENTIETH CENTURY EXISTENTIALISM:
HEIDEGGER AND SARTRE
April 2128: three periods
Readings:
1. Stumpf:
a. Philosophy: 461464; 468475
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b. Reading: 379385
X. CURRENT TRENDS IN NATURALISM
May 1: one period
Readings:
1. Stumpf:
a. Reading: 433446
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THIRD TAKEHOME TEST DUE WEDNESDAY, MAY 6.
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