Philosophy 422: The British Empiricists Spring 2002

Professor Edwin McCann

MHP-205F, 213-740-5169, FAX 213-740-5174; mccann@usc.edu

Office hours: M 11-1; W 11-12

A close study of the principal writings of John Locke, George Berkeley, and David Hume on topics in epistemology and metaphysics, including: perception and the theory of ideas, skepticism, scientific explanation, causality, identity, personal identity, substance, and natural kinds. Special attention will be paid to the relation between the philosophical views of each of these thinkers and the new mechanistic natural science.

Requirements

1. Regular attendance and participation in discussion.

2. Three 4-5 page papers (each worth 25% of course grade).

3. In-class essay-format final examination (25% of course grade).

Books for the course

  1. John Locke, An Essay concerning Human Understanding ed. Peter H. Nidditch (Oxford University Press).
  2. George Berkeley, A Treatise concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge ed. Jonathan Dancy (Oxford University Press).
  3. George Berkeley, Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous ed. Jonathan Dancy (Oxford University Press).
  4. David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature ed. David Fate Norton and Mary J. Norton (Oxford University Press)
  5. David Hume, An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding ed. Tom L. Beauchamp (Oxford University Press).
  6. David Hume, Dialogues concerning Natural Religion (Hackett).

Schedule of topics and readings

Week one (Jan. 7, 9, 11) Introduction and overview; Locke on ideas and innateness. Reading: Essay Epistle to the Reader, I.1, I.2, I.4, II.1, II.2.

Week two (Jan. 14, 16, 18) Locke on primary and secondary qualities. Reading: Essay II.8, II.21.1-4, 73.

Week three (Jan. 23, 25) Locke on substance. Reading: Essay II.13.17-20, II.23; selections from the Stillingfleet correspondence.

Week four (Jan. 28, 30, Feb. 1) Locke on identity, and personal identity. Reading: Essay II.27.

Week five (Feb. 4, 6, 8) Locke on natural kinds and essentialism. Reading: Essay, II.31.6, III.6, III.9.11-17, III.10.14-21, III.11.19-25, IV.4.11-17.

Week six (Feb. 11, 13, 15) Locke on scientific explanation, mechanism, and the mind-body problem. Reading: Essay IV.3, IV.6, IV.10, IV.12; selections from the Stillingfleet correspondence.

First paper due February 20

Week seven (Feb. 20, 22) Berkeley on abstract ideas and the meaning of 'exists.' Reading: Principles, Intro., I.1-6, 22-4, 86-9; Three Dialogues, pp. 192-206 (Luce and Jessop pagination);

Week eight (Feb. 25, 27, Mar. 1) Berkeley on substance and primary and secondary qualities. Reading: Principles, I.8-21, 50-3, 60-66; Three Dialogues, pp. 174-92.

Week nine (Mar. 4, 6, 8) Berkeley on skepticism, common sense, and science. Reading: Principles, I.25-49, 54-9, 85-91, 97-117; Three Dialogues, pp. 210-22, 227-63.

Spring recess (Mar. 11-16)

Second paper due March 18

Week ten (Mar. 18, 20, 22) Hume on ideas, knowledge, and probability. Reading: Treatise, Introduction; Bk. I, Part I, Secs. i-vii; Bk. I, Part II, Sec. vi; and Bk. I, Part III, Secs. i and ii; Enquiry Secs. 2 and 3.

Week eleven (Mar. 25, 27, 29) Hume on causation and induction. Reading: Treatise, Bk. I, Part III, Secs. iii-xvi; Abstract; Enquiry Secs. 4, 5, 6 and 7.

Week twelve (Apr. 1, 3, 5) Hume on personal identity. Reading: Treatise, Bk. I, Part IV, Secs. v and vi; Appendix.

Week thirteen (Apr. 8, 10, 12) Hume on skepticism regarding the senses. Reading: Treatise, Bk. I, Part IV, Sec. ii.

Week fourteen (Apr. 15, 17, 19) Hume and philosophical skepticism. Reading: Treatise, Bk. I, Part IV, secs. i, iii, iv, and vii; Appendix; Enquiry Sec.12.

Third paper due April 26

Week fifteen (Apr. 22, 24, 26) Hume and the religious hypothesis. Reading: Enquiry Secs. 10-11; Dialogues concerning Natural Religion.

Final examination Monday, May 6, 8:00-10:00 a.m.

 

For a PDF version of this syllabus, click here.