Philosophy Department

1200 Academy St. Kalamazoo, MI 49006
 

 19TH-CENTURY PHILOSOPHY

 FALL 2003

 KALAMAZOO COLLEGE

PROFESSOR: Chris Latiolais
Philosophy Department
Kalamazoo College
Humphrey House #201
Telephone # 337-7076
Offices Hours:

 1) Mon. 11:30 - 1:30.
 2) Tues. 11:30- 12:30.
 3)  By Appointment.

    This course introduces students to 19th-century, Continental-European philosophy by focusing on a single issue: namely the problem of how humans develop personal identities in social settings.  We will explore how Kant, Schiller, Hegel, Marx, Kierkegaard and Nietzsche conceive of "autonomous" or "free" self-determination -- the education of the self, if you will.  These philosophers offer quite different accounts of the role of reason, will, imagination, skills and interpersonal relations in the formation of self.

    Students will be evaluated on the basis of class participation, vocabulary quizzes, midterm examinations and a final paper.

POLICIES:
 

     Open, respectful and critical discussion is crucial to the success of this seminar.  Quizzes offer students, teacher, and teaching assistant alike the opportunity to identify and to clarify central terms/concepts.     The midterm examinations test comprehension of key philosophical issues and arguments, and the final paper offers students the opportunity to respond in depth to a single topic.  The final paper is due on the day scheduled for the final examination.  3 unexcused absences will result in a full grade reduction.

1.  Pinkard, Terry. German Philosophy, 1760-1860 : The Legacy of Idealism (Cambridge, UK ; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002).

 2.  Schiller, Friedrich: On The Aesthetic Education of Man In a Series of Letters (Oxford University Press, Oxford 1982)

3.  Hegel, G.W.F. [Ed. Walter Kaufmann]: Hegel: Texts and Commentary (University of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, Indiana 1975).

4.  Marx, Karl/ Engels, Friedrich [Ed. Robert C. Tucker]: The Marx-Engels Reader (W. W. Norton & Company, New York 1972) [Excerpts].

5.  Kierkegaard, Soren: Fear and Trembling (Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 1983).

6.  Nietzsche, Friedrich: Beyond Good and Evil (Vintage Books, New York 1989).

BRIDGE READING COMPONENT:Students interested in linking course material to their major course of
study will be given special readings and assignments.  Tutorial meetings are required, and the final paper must
be completed in consultation with professor in home department.

     Psychology: Students interested in exploring the philosophical foundations of
     developmental psychology will be given readings that link the course to the works of Jean
     Piaget, Lawrence Kohlberg and Carol Gilligan.  Students interested in issues of identity
     formation in self-psychology and psychoanalysis will be given a different set of readings.
     See Psychology Bridge-Readings (Philosophy Homepage).

     Political Science: Students interested in examining the philosophical roots of current
     debates in political theory and feminist philosophy will be given readings by contemporary
     political thinkers who analyze modern politics in the light of 19th-century philosophers.

     Religion: Students interested in a fuller examination of Kierkegaard's theology in
     contemporary discussions will be given readings that discuss Kierkegaard's critique of
     secular identity formation.
 
 

1.  HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION: THE KANTIAN LEGACY:

TUESDAY:                                                                                                                         WEEK ONE
     1.  Introductory Lecture: "Kant's Transcendental Idealism."

THURSDAY:

1. Pinkard, Introduction (pp. 1-19).

2. Pinkard, "The Revolution in Philosophy (1): Human Spontaneity and the Natural Order (pp. 19 - 45).

3. Pinkard, "The Revolution in Philosophy (2): Autonomy and the Moral Order (pp. 45 - 66).
 

TUESDAY:                                                                                                                           WEEK TWO

1.  Pinkard, "The Revolution in Philosophy (3): Aestehtic Taste, Teleology, and the World Order (pp. 66 - 82)

2.  Quiz #1.

2.  SCHILLER'S RECONCILIATION OF FREEDOM AND NATURE: AESTHETIC
SELF-DEVELOPMENT:

THURSDAY:
     1.  Schiller, Letter One to Twelve.

     2.  Quiz #2.

WEDNESDAY EVENING MOVIE: American Beauty: 

TUESDAY:                                                                                                                         WEEK THREE
     1.  Schiller, Letters Thirteen to Twenty-Seven. (Cont.)..
 

THURSDAY:
     1.  Schiller (end).
     2.  Quiz #3.

3.  HEGEL'S ACCOUNT OF SELF-DEVELOPMENT: LOGICAL SELF-
DETERMINATION AS SELF-HISTORICIZING:

TUESDAY:                                                                                                                         WEEK FOUR

1. Pinkard, "The 1790s: Fichte.

2. Hegel, "Philosophy Must Become Scientific."         (pp. 1-29).
 

THURSDAY:

1.  Hegel, "The idea of a Phenomenology of the Spirit" (pp. 29-57).

2.  Pinkard, "Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit (pp. 214 - 246).

3. Quiz #4.

4.  Evening Movie: Waterland.
 
 
 
 

TUESDAY:                                                                                                                   WEEK FIVE
     1.  Hegel, "Truth" & "Conclusion" (pp. 57-113).
     2.  First Midterm Examination.
 

THURSDAY:
     1.  Hegel, "The Struggle of Master and Slave" [Handout].
     2.  Evening movie: "The Collector."
 
 

4.  MARX'S CRITIQUE OF IDEALISM: THE MATERIALIST ACCOUNT OF
SELF-FORMATION:

THURSDAY:
     1.  Marx, "Discovering Hegel (Marx to his father)," "Theses on Feuerbach," & "The German
     Ideology: Part One" (finish).
 

5.  KIERKEGAARD'S ATTACK UPON AUTO-TELIC ACCOUNTS OF IDENTITY
FORMATION: "RESTING TRANSPARENTLY IN ANOTHER":

TUESDAY:                                                                                                             WEEK SEVEN
     1.  Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling, Preface, "Preface," "Exordium," & "Eulogy on Abraham" (pp.
     1-27).

THURSDAY:

1.  Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling, "Preliminary Expectoration" & "Problema 1" (pp. 27-68).

2. Evening Movie: Babette's Feast.

 

TUESDAY:                                                                                                             WEEK EIGHT

1.  Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling (end.)

 
 

6.  NIETZSCHE'S GENEALOGICAL "UNMASKING" OF IDEALISM AND
MATERIALISM: THE SELF AS THE WILL TO POWER:

THURSDAY:
     1.  Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil, (pp. 1-57).
 

TUESDAY:                                                                                                               WEEK NINE
     1.  Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil, (pp. 57-95).
 

THURSDAY: THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY.
 

TUESDAY:                                                                                                                 WEEK TEN
1.   Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil (pp. 95-119).

2. Closing Comments.

3. Student Evaluations.

FINALS WEEK