Professor Talbott                                                                                  Spring 2006

Office:  Savery 252                                                                               Philosophy 332A:   

Phone:  543-5095                                                                                History of Modern Political Philosophy

Email:  wtalbott@                                                                                 MWF: 9:00-10:20 am

Office Hours:  Tuesday 1-3 pm and by appointment                              MGH 228

URL:  http://faculty.washington.edu/wtalbott/

 

SYLLABUS

PHILOSOPHY 332A:  History of Modern Political Philosophy

 

Disability Resources For Students.  If you would like to request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact Disability Resources for Students (DRS), 448 Schmitz, (206) 543-8924 (V/TTY).  If you have a letter from DRS indicating you have a disability that requires academic accommodations, please present the letter to me so we can discuss the accommodations you might need for the class. 

 

            I. Course Goals:  What is called "modern" philosophy is not very modern.  It begins in the 16th century and extends to the 19th century.  Before the modern period, government legitimacy was typically thought to depend on divine endorsement or historical precedent, but not on the consent of the governed.  The idea that government legitimacy depends on some sort of actual or hypothetical consent is a "modern" idea.  This new idea was part of a new conception of individuals as bearers of rights--rights even their rulers were morally bound to respect.  In this course, we study those philosophers in the modern period who were most important in the gradual development of a rights-based political theory and those who were most persuasive in opposing it.  We will read from the works of Hobbes, Spinoza, Locke, Rousseau, Smith, Kant, Burke, Tocqueville, Hegel, and Marx.  This course will teach the interpretation and understanding of difficult philosophical texts.  Students will be taught to explain and critically evaluate difficult philosophical texts orally and in writing.

 

            II. Course Readings.  There is one required text, Steven M. Cahn, Classics of Modern Political Theory.  The text is available for purchase at the University Book Store.  There will also be one optional reading on e-reserve.  See the separate course readings handout for weekly reading assignments.  Except for the first class, readings should be done before class on the Monday of the week they are assigned.

 

            III. Course Requirements.

            1. Class Attendance:  Students are required to attend all classes.  Classes are MWF 9:00-10:20 am in MGH 228, except for Monday, May 29 (Memorial Day). 

            2.  Email.  I will send out important class and individual messages to your U.W. email account.  You should check that account regularly.  I also encourage you to use email to contact me.  My email address appears above.  I usually answer email messages within 24 hours during the week and within 48 hours on weekends and holidays.

            3. End-of-Class Questions.  Approximately once for each author we read, you will be asked to give a written answer to a question on the readings or the discussion in lecture.  These assignments will provide practice for writing answers to exam questions.  To earn full credit for an end-of-class question, you must be in class on the day it is answered or have an excused absence.  If you have an unexcused absence, you may submit an answer for up to half credit.  Questions will be posted on the course Web site after the class in which they are asked.  Each answer will be worth 10 points.  If you receive less than 5 points on your answer to an end-of-class question, you may resubmit for up to 5 points credit.  All answers and resubmits must be received before the Final Exam.

4. In-Class Discussion Leader.  There will be six student-led discussions.  Students will sign up to be discussion leaders in groups of 4-8.  You will get more information in class about the role of the discussion leaders. 

5.  Short Paper (5-7 Pages).  Discussion Leaders will write a 5-7 page paper on one of the issues for their discussion session.  The paper should be submitted as an email attachment in Word DOC or RTF format by midnight on the Monday following the session in which they were a discussion leader.  The filename should begin with your last name.

5a.  Short Paper Resubmission.  Your short paper is worth 50 points.  If you wish, you may rewrite your paper in a way that is responsive to my comments on it for additional credit.  Resubmissions are due at midnight one week after I return the first submission with my comments.

The maximum additional credit for a resubmission is calculated based on the score you received on the first submission of the paper as follows: 

[50 - Your score] x 2/5 = Maximum number of additional points.  So, for example, if your score on the first submission was 40, you could receive up to 4 additional points; if it was 30, you could receive up to 8 additional points.  The only exception to this formula is that everyone (even someone who received a 50 on the first submission) can earn at least one point for a resubmission.

6. Midterm Exam.  The Midterm Exam will be given in class on Friday, May 5. 

            7. Final Exam.  The Final Exam will be in two parts.  The first part will be a take-home exam to be submitted via email before the beginning of the second part.  The topic for the take-home part of the exam will be given out in class on Friday, June 2.  The second part will be a one-hour exam similar to the Midterm Exam that will take place in MGH 228 at 8:30 am on Wed. June 7. 

NOTE:  Please bring a pen and blank blue/green books with no missing pages to all exams. 

 

            IV. Course Web Site.  All handouts, transparencies, and end-of-class questions will be available on the course Web site (see URL above).  So if you are ever absent, you can check the course Web site to find out what you missed.

 

V. Academic Integrity. Whenever you turn in any assignment in this course, the understanding is that what you are turning in is your own original work, except to the extent that you explicitly credit others for their contributions. You have an obligation to avoid even the appearance of impropriety, by always attributing any argument or idea that you have borrowed, even if you have modified it, to its source.  The source may be written or oral.  For example, if an argument was suggested by a fellow student, include that information in a footnote.  If it is determined that there has been cheating that involves one student copying another's work on an assignment or exam, if both students were aware of the copying, both will receive zero credit for the assignment or exam, in addition to any other sanctions that might be imposed.

 

            VI. Extensions Of Time.  Extensions of time should be requested in advance of the deadline.  Unexcused, late work will be penalized.

 

            VII. Grades.  Grades will be based on points earned as follows:  (1) End of Class Questions (100 Points); (3) Discussion Leader (10 Points); (4) Short Paper (50 Points); (5) Midterm Exam (100 Points); (6) Final Exam (200 Points—100 Points for Each Part).  Grades are based on total points earned, as follows:  96% = 4.0; 95% = 3.9; 90% = 3.5; 80% = 3.0; 65% = 2.0; 50% = 1.0.  Your contribution to discussion in class can improve your grade, but cannot lower it.

 

            VIII. Course Evaluation.  Friday, June 2, in class.  The course evaluation is your opportunity to evaluate my performance and to provide suggestions for improving the course.

 

            IX. Return of Final Exams.  Unless other arrangements are made, Final Exams will be available for pick-up in the Philosophy Department Office, Savery 345, during the first week of Summer Quarter.  If you would like your Final Exam to be mailed to you, please provide me with a stamped, self-addressed envelope for mailing.