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POLI
213W(01): Spring
2010 MWF
10:20a-11:20a Ford
324 |
WRITING POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY: INDIVIDUALITY & COMMUNITY
Prof.
Sammy Basu Office:
Smullin 317 Hours:
TTH 10-11:30am, 1-3pm or by appointment. |
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COURSE SUMMARY
This writing-centered
course introduces students to the social sciences in general, and to the study
of politics and the approach of political philosophy in particular. Individuality and community are its
unifying themes. These themes will
be treated through the close reading and interpretation of selected
thinkers. These thinkers, drawn
from the Ancient and Renaissance periods of the history of Western political
philosophy, are original exponents of distinctive philosophical systems, and
employ distinctive literary genres.
Their contrasting conceptions of individuality and community will be
discussed, and the contemporary implications of these differences for ethics
and politics explored.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The
objectives of this course include improving student's abilities to:
read: "Do not read, as children do, to amuse
yourself, or like the ambitious, for the purpose of instruction. No, read in order to live"
m Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880), Letter to Mlle de
Chantepie, June 1857.
write: "True ease in writing comes from art, not
chance,
As
those move easiest who have learn'd to dance.
'Tis
not enough no harshness gives offence,
The
sound must seem an echo to the sense."
m Alexander Pope (1688-1744), An Essay on
Criticism (1711).
speak: "On an occasion of this kind it becomes
more than a moral duty to speak one's mind. It becomes a pleasure."
m Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), The Importance of
Being Earnest (1895).
think: "I think, therefore I am."
m RenŽ Descartes (1596-1650), Discourse on
Method (1637).
PEDAGOGY
The
teaching philosophy that animates this course is:
"He was sent, as usual, to a public school,
where a
little learning was painfully beaten into him,
and from thence
to the university,
where it was
carefully taken out of him."
m T.L.
Peacock (1785-1866), Nightmare Abbey, Ch.1.
"A little learning is a dang'rous
thing;/
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:/
There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,/
And drinking largely sobers us again.
m
Alexander Pope (1688-1744), An Essay on Criticism, 215.
COURSE EVALUATION CRITERIA
The
grade is composed of two components:
(1) daily participation in class discussions (20%) -
includes any in-class writing tasks, and self-evaluations.
(2) four writing assignments (20% each) - in
which the student interprets the texts under study, and responds with written
arguments in a variety of literary genres.
Students
are encouraged to discuss writing with the Professor, and Writing Center
Consultants.
A
passing grade must be received on all assignments to pass the course.
Late
assignments will be penalized.
If you believe that you may
have a disability requiring accommodation, please contact
Baxter Hall, Phone: (503) 370-6471, (TT) (503) 375-5383.
Retroactive
accommodation will not be possible.
REQUIRED COURSE READINGS
It is
important that the student complete the assigned
reading and take the time to reflect on the meaning of the reading before coming
to class. All required readings
are available at the WU Bookstore.
Books can be purchased elsewhere; however, it is important that the same
edition be obtained.
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Plato. The Republic.
(Trans.) G.M.A. Grube. Revised by C.D.C. Reeve.
Indianapolis: Hackett, 1992. |
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Epicurus. The Epicurus
Reader. (Trans.) Brad Inwood and L.P. Gerson. Indianapolis:
Hackett, 1994. |
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More,
Thomas. Utopia. (Eds. And Trans.) David Wootton. Indianapolis: Hackett,
1999. |
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Montaigne,
Michel De. The Complete Essays of Montaigne. (Trans.) Donald M. Frame. Stanford, CA: Stanford
University Press, 1958. |
COURSE SCHEDULE
DATE SUBJECT
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W
Jan 20 What is political philosophy? F
Jan 22 What is political philosophy? M
Jan 25 What is political philosophy? |
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[ 1 ] PLATO (428-348BC) The Republic
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W
Jan 27 Plato,
Platonism, F Jan 29 what is justice?: pp.1-43 M
Feb 1 the
just state, who should rule, and how: pp.43-93 W
Feb 3 myths,
happiness, and justice: pp.94-110, 118-121 F
Feb 5 myths,
happiness, and justice: pp.94-110, 118-121
Homer, Music and Ancient Greek Music M
Feb 8 women,
the family, and barbarians: pp.122-146 W
Feb 10 the
philosopher and the cave: pp.146-151, F
Feb 12 being
philosophical: 156-176, 186-193, 210-212 M
Feb 15 democracy
and decadence: pp.213-250 W
Feb 17 just do
it justly: pp.250-292 F
Feb 19 on
writing |
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DUE: F Feb 19, bring two copies to class
DRAFT of
WRITING ASSIGNMENT NO. 1
DUE: F Feb 26
WRITING
ASSIGNMENT NO. 1
SELF-EVALUATION
[ 2 ] EPICURUS (341-270BC) Writings and
Testimonia
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M
Feb 22 Epicurus
and Epicureanism: text 1. W
Feb 24 only
if it makes sense: texts 2.34-63, 7, 27, 29, 30-34, 65-103. F
Feb 26 Discuss
first Writing Assignment M
Mar 1 God,
death, and free will: texts 2.64-82, 3, 14-18, 28, 104-14. W
Mar 3 living
the good life: texts 4-6, 8-13, 19-26, 35-64, 115-49. F
Mar 5 law,
politics, and friendship: texts 4-6, 8-13, 19-26, 35-64,
115-49. values auction M
Mar 8 on
writing |
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DUE: M Mar 8, bring two copies to class
DRAFT of
WRITING ASSIGNMENT NO. 2
DUE: M Mar 15
SELF-EVALUATION
[ 3 ] THOMAS MORE (1478-1535) Utopia
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DUE: M Apr 12
WRITING ASSIGNMENT NO. 3
SELF-EVALUATION
[ 4 ] MICHEL DE MONTAIGNE
(1533-1592) Essays
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W
Apr 28 Red
and Blue Map
Film: "The Road Scholar" (1993) F
Apr 30 Film:
"The
Road Scholar" (1993)
Destinations M
May 3 The
American Dream:
Individuality & Community |
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DUE: F May 7, 11 am
WRITING
ASSIGNMENT NO. 4
SELF-EVALUATION
