HOME Syllabus contents: Course Description Assignments and Grading Policy Books Class Schedule and Required Readings	PHIL401, Winter Quarter 2004 Advanced Topics in Philosophy:  Toleration
	Syllabus Instructor: Prof. Michael Rosenthal Office: Savery M252 E-mail: rosentha@u.washington.edu Phone: (206) 685-1374 Office Hours: Tuesdays11am-12pm; Wednesdays 3pm-4pm; and by appointment.
	Course Description One of the hallmarks of a liberal society is that it tolerates a variety of beliefs and ways of life.  In this course we will examine the philosophical justifications of toleration from both a historical and contemporary perspective.  First, we will examine ideas of toleration (and justifications of intolerance) in medieval and illiberal societies.  Second, we will look at the rise of classically liberal justifications of toleration in the midst of early modern disputes over religion.  Third, we will discuss Enlightenment ideals of toleration and their critics.  Finally, we will look at contemporary philosophical discussions of toleration.  Some of the questions we will ask are:  What is toleration and how have conceptions of it changed over time?  Are some justifications better than others?  What are the limits of toleration?  What is the place of toleration in a person’s life and in the social order?  <-- RETURN TO TOP Assignments and Grading Policy Participation:  All students are expected to attend class and participate regularly in class conversation.  In addition to reading texts and writing papers, philosophy involves listening, reflection, and dialogue.  Students who are regularly absent from class cannot regularly participate and therefore cannot cultivate these essential skills.    Papers:  Each student will be required to write three short papers (3-5 pages in length).  For each essay, you will be able to choose your topic from several options.  The first paper is due on Thursday, 1/29 at the beginning of class.  The second paper is due on Thursday, 2/24 at the beginning of class.  And the third paper is due on Wednesday, 3/17 12:30pm in the Philosophy department office in Savery Hall 345.  Late papers will be automatically penalized one-half of a grade (0.5 point) for every 24-hours it is late after the due date.  Please note:  I will not accept papers sent by fax or e-mail.  Each paper will be graded and is worth 25% of your final grade.  Please note that you must complete all three papers for this requirement to be met.  E-Posts:  There are two parts to this assignment.  First, for each and every class session I expect that you post a comment or question connected to the day’s assigned reading.  If you choose to offer a question, please explain the question fully (i.e., how it arose out of your reading of the text and its significance).  I would expect each post to be between 100-250 words.  You must post the question or comment to the following site:  http://catalyst.washington.edu/webtools/epost/register.cgi?owner=rosentha&id=6736 Second, I want you to print a copy of your post on a piece of paper (with your name on it) and turn it in to me at the beginning of each class.  Please note:  you will not receive credit for the assignment without turning it in at the beginning of class.  You must complete both parts of each assignment to receive credit.  Late assignments will not count.  I will often start discussion with your posts and sometimes might ask you to read them in class.  This assignment will start on Thursday, 1/8, for the second class.  You will have 19 opportunities to contribute a post.  I will grade you based on the percentage of satisfactorily completed assignments.  So if you complete all of them successfully you will receive a grade of 4.  If you complete sixteen of them you will receive a grade of about 3.4 and so on.  The total value of this assignment is 25% of your final grade.  <-- RETURN TO TOP Books Required texts:  -2 Xerox Packets of Readings (for sale at Rams Copy Shop, 4144 University Way NE):  the first part is available; the availability of the second will be announced in class.  -David Heyd, ed., Toleration:  An Elusive Virtue (Princeton UP, 1996) (TEV) -John Locke, A Letter Concerning Toleration, ed. James Tully (Hackett Publishing, 1983) -John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, ed. Elizabeth Rapaport (Hackett Publishing, 1978)  Recommended text (and on reserve at Odegaard Library): -Perez Zagorin, How the Idea of Religious Toleration Came to the West (Princeton UP, 2003) <-- RETURN TO TOP Class Schedule and Required Readings Please note that this is a guide and subject to change.  Week 1 – What is Toleration? 1/6       Course Introduction 1/8       Required:  Bernard Williams, “Toleration:  An Impossible Virtue” (Heyd, 18-27)                       Recommended: Zagorin, chapter 1 Week 2 – Justifications of Intolerance 1/13     Required:  Augustine, letter 93, and Lecler selection (Xerox packet)             Recommended:  Zagorin, chapter 2 1/15     Required:  Calvin, Institutes, 472-506 (Xerox packet)             Recommended:  Zagorin, chapter 3 Week 3 – Toleration in the Reformation:  Castellio 1/20     Required: S. Castellio, Concerning Heretics, 120-140, 216-250 (Xerox packet)             Recommended:  Zagorin, chapter 4 1/22     Lecler, Toleration and the Reformation, 332-336 (Xerox packet) Week 4 – Toleration in 17th century England – Hobbes and John Locke 1/27     Required:  Hobbes, Leviathan, 69-70, 392-397, 415, 521-538 (Xerox packet)             Recommended:  Zagorin, chapter 6 1/29     Locke, Letter on Toleration [First Paper Due] Week 5 – Toleration in 17th century England - Locke 2/3       Required:  Locke, Letter on Toleration             Recommended:  Zagorin, chapter 7, 240-280 2/5       Locke, Letter on Toleration Week 6 – Toleration on the Continent in the 17th century – Spinoza and Bayle 2/10     Required:  Spinoza, Theological-Political Treatise, chapters 17 (partial), 19, & 20:  185-189, 212-230 (Xerox Packet)             Recommended: Zagorin, chapter 5. 2/12     Required:  Pierre Bayle, selections from Philosophical Commentary (Xerox Packet 2)             Recommended: Zagorin, chapter 7, 272-288. Week 7 – Toleration and the Enlightenment:  Lessing’s Nathan the Wise 2/17     Required:   Lessing, Nathan the Wise (Xerox Packet 2)             Recommended:  Zagorin, chapter 8. 2/19     Avishai Margalit, “The Ring:  On Religious Pluralism” (in Heyd, 147-157)   Week 8 – Utilitarian Justifications of Toleration:  John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty 2/24     John Stuart Mill, On Liberty [Second Paper Due] 2/26     John Stuart Mill, On Liberty   Week 9 – Contemporary Issues:  Freedom of Speech and Religion 3/2       Joshua Cohen, “Freedom of Expression” (in Heyd, 173-225) 3/4       Joshua Cohen, “Freedom of Expression” (in Heyd, 173-225) Week 10 – Contemporary Issues:  Group Rights and Liberalism 3/9       Will Kymlicka, “Two Models of Pluralism and Tolerance” (in Heyd, 81-105) 3/11     Moshe Halbertal, “Autonomy, Toleration, and Group Rights:  A Response to Will Kymlicka” (in Heyd, 106-113) 3/17     FINAL PAPER DUE IN PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT OFFICE, SAVERY 345 on Wednesday, 3/17 at 12:30pm.  <-- RETURN TO TOP
BACK TO TOP  Last Updated: 01/02/04	Contact the instructor at: rosentha@u.washington.edu