Syllabus

The idea of freedom was central to the continental rationalists but each made sense of it in a different way. Descartes’ volunteeristic concept of God and his notion of a radically free will are still very much a part of the modern philosophical imagination. Spinoza’s criticism of the Cartesian will and his commitment to a determinist universe led him to be labelled as a fatalist and worse, yet the idea of freedom is central to his philosophical system. Leibniz took issue with both of his predecessors: while God knows all things and chose to actualize the best of all possible worlds, agents are nonetheless free within it. We shall examine the views of each philosopher in order, from Descartes to Spinoza to Leibniz. First we will study the general metaphysical and epistemological background, focusing on the conception of God and its relation to the finite individual. Second, we will look at the specific views on the metaphysics of will, both in God and in finite individuals. Third, we will examine the relation of the will to both divine and human freedom. Finally, we will consider how the concept of moral responsibility in each philosopher follows from the ideas of will and freedom.

The course will be a mix of lecture and discussion. The readings will be mostly primary texts, supplemented by some secondary readings. Students will be asked to turn in weekly reading notes, to write two short papers over the quarter, and to take a final, in-class exam. A term paper will be required for graduate students and optional for undergraduates with instructor permission.

1. Weekly Reading Notes: Each week at the beginning of class on Tuesday students will be required to submit their reading notes. (Please note: the first set of notes will be due on Thursday, October 5^th.) The notes may either be hand-written or types, but they must be legible to the instructor. The minimum length of notes must be at least one typed page (approximately 250 words). There is no maximum length. Students receive 10 points for each assignment adequately completed; 5 points for an assignment inadequately completed or late; and 2 extra points (for a total of 12) can be given to those assignments deemed excellent by the instructor. This assignment is worth 100 points total and a minimum of 60 points is required to pass this assignment.

2. Short Papers: Each student will be required to write two short papers (4-6 pages in length). For each essay, you will be able to choose your topic from several options. The first paper is due on Thursday, 10/26 at the beginning of class. The second paper is due on Tuesday, 11/21 at the beginning of the class. Late papers will be automatically penalized 15 points for every 24 hours it is late after the due date. Please note: I will not accept papers sent by fax or e-mail. I need to receive a printed copy of the paper. Each paper will be graded and is worth a maximum of 100 points. The passing grade for each paper is 53 points.

3. Final Exam. Students will be required to take a final, in-class exam on Thursday, December 14^th at 10:30-12:20pm in CMU 230. This will be a closed book exam. All material from the assigned readings as well as class lectures will be the subject of the exam. No make-up exams will be given except in documented cases of illness or death of a family member. Please bring a blue book. The exam is worth 100 points and the minimum passing grade is 53 points.

4. Term Paper Option (required for graduate students; instructor permission required for other students who wish to take this option). Instead of two, short papers, you will write a longer paper (12-15 pages in length) on a topic of your choosing. Please note that the topic of the paper must be approved by the instructor. This paper is due at 12pm on Monday, December 11^th in the philosophy department office. The paper will be worth a maximum of 200 points and a minimum of 106 points is required to pass.

Final Grade: Your final grade will be computed on the basis of the assignments you have turned in. There is a total possible point score of 400 points. Below you will find a conversion table. The first column represents total points for the course. The second column represents the grade for a single paper. The third column represents the approximate letter grade equivalent. And the fourth column is the UW grading-scale equivalent. (Please note that while I will use this table as a basis for the final grades in the course I reserve the right to make adjustments to it in the service of fairness.)

392-400                   98-100                     A+                          4.0
372-391                   93-97                       A                             3.9-3.7
356-371                   89-92                       A-                           3.6-3.5
340-355                   85-88                       B+                           3.4-3.2
324-339                   81-84                       B                            3.1-2.8
308-323                   77-80                       B-                           2.7-2.5
292-307                   73-76                       C+                          2.4-2.2
276-291                   69-72                       C                             2.1-1.8
260-275                   65-68                       C-                           1.7-1.5
244-259                   61-64                       D+                           1.4-1.2
228-243                   57-60                       D                            1.1-.8
212-227                   53-56                       D-                            .7
0-211                         0-52                       F                              0.0

Nota Bene: (1) Cheating in any form (including plagiarism, of course) will result in automatic referal to the Dean’s office. You are assumed to understand the university rules concerning inappropriate academic conduct. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the instructor.

(2) In order to pass this course students must satisfy both of the following requirements: (a) earn a minimum of 212 points total; and (b) complete satisfactorily (i.e., pass) three of the four graded components of this course. The four graded components of the course are: (i) weekly reading notes; (ii) the first paper; (iii) the second paper; and (iv) the final exam. For example, a student who passes the weekly reading notes assignments, as well as one paper, but who fails one paper and the final, will not pass the course. Absolutely no exceptions will be made to this policy.

The following texts are required and are available for purchase in the college bookstore:

Descartes, René. Philosophical Essays and Correspondence. Edited with introduction by Roger Ariew. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co., 2000. (Pbk; ISBN: 0-87220-502-9)

Leibniz, G.W. Philosophical Essays. Translated by Roger Ariew and Daniel Garber. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co., 1989. (Pbk; ISBN: 0-87220-062-0)

Spinoza, Baruch. The Essential Spinoza: Ethics and Related Writings. Edited by Michael L. Morgan. Translated by Samuel Shirley. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co., 2006. (Pbk; ISBN: 0-87220-803-6)

Tu 10/3 Introduction: The Problem of Will in the Rationalists

Th 10/5 Descartes I: Metaphysical & Epistemological Background, Part 1

Reading: Meditations I-III

Tu 10/10 Descartes II: Metaphysical & Epistemological Background, Part 2

Reading: Meditations I-III

Th 10/12 Descartes III: The Will

Reading: Meditation IV

Tu 10/17 Descartes IV: The Free Will

Reading: Meditations IV & VI

Th 10/19 Descartes V: Passions and Ethics

Reading: Passions of the Soul

Tu 10/24 Descartes VI: Implications and General Discussion

Reading: Letters to Elizabeth and Mesland

Th 10/26 [First Paper Due]

Spinoza I: Metaphysical & Epistemological Background, Part 1

Reading: Ethics, Part I

Tu 10/31 Spinoza II: Metaphysical & Epistemological Background, Part 2

Reading: Ethics, Part II

Th 11/2 Spinoza III: The Will

Reading: Ethics, Part II & III

Tu 11/7 Spinoza IV: The Free Will

Reading: Ethics, Part IV

Th 11/9 Spinoza V: Ethics and Politics

Reading: Ethics, Part IV; also some xerox selections from TTP.

Tu 11/14 Spinoza VI: Implications and General Discussion

Reading: Review

Th 11/16 Leibniz I: Metaphysical & Epistemological Background, Part 1

Reading: Principles of Nature and Grace; Monadology.

Tu 11/21 [Second Paper Due]

Leibniz II: Metaphysical & Epistemological Background, Part 2

Reading: Selections from Discourse on Metaphysics; Principles of Nature and Grace; Monadology.

Reading: Selections from Discourse on Metaphysics Principles of Nature and Grace; Monadology.