THE PHILOSOPHY OF IMMANUEL KANT
 

Course Description:

This course will examine in detail the works of the 18^th century German philosopher, Immanuel Kant -- widely regarded as one of the most influential philosophers of all time. We will consider Kant as a response to the preceding schools of Rationalism and Empiricism as well as a precursor to contemporary trends in philosophy. to do this we will study his writings in the areas of metaphysics and epistemology, ethics, and aesthetics.
 

Required texts:
Kant, Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics
Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals
Kant, Critique of Judgment
Thomson, On Kant
Kant, Critique of Pure Reason

CALENDAR
Part I:  Metaphysics & Epistemology [Readings from the Prolegomena]
1/9-1/11 Intro / Historical background (Hume and Leibniz)
1/18 Preface, First Part
1/23-1/25 Second Part
1/30-2/1 Third Part
2/6-2/8 Conclusion
2/13-2/15 Readings from Critique of Pure Reason (On line)
Part II:  Ethics [Readings from the Groundwork]
2/20-2/22 EXAM 2/20 / Preface, First Section
2/27-3/1 Second Section
3/6-3/8 Third Section
Part III:  Aesthetics [Readings from the Critique of Judgment]
3/13-3/15 Preface and Intro (pgs.55-83) / Analytic of the Beautiful (pgs. 89-104)
3/20-3/22  SPRING BREAK
3/27-3/29 Analytic of the Beautiful
4/3-4/5 PAPER DUE (4/3) Deduction (pgs. 160-196)
4/10-4/12 Dialectic (pgs. 213-230) [TBA]
4/17-4/19 Review / EXAM 4/19
 
 
 
 
 

Grades, Exams and Notes:
 

• The graded work for the course will consist in two in class essay exams (one at mid-term and one as a final), one brief in class oral presentation, and one 6-8 page essay (produced on a computer) on a topic to be assigned. Each piece of work will be equally graded.
• Students are expected to attend regularly and to be prepared by reading the assignments in advance.  Students will be allowed 3 absences.  After 3 absences one point (out of a 100 point total) will be deducted for each absence thereafter.
• Arrangements will be made for late papers and exam make-ups only on the basis of a weighty excuse (typically medical). Students should request special arrangements before the deadlines whenever possible.

 

92-100 A
89-91 A-
86-88 B+
82-85 B
79-81 B-
76-78 C+
72-75 C
69-71 C-
66-68 D+
62-65 D
59-61 D-
0-58 F