Honors 2103 Spring 09

Honors 2103:

Science and the Making of the Modern Mind

Spring 200

TTh 9:10-10:30 AM, OSH 132

Prof. Bryan Benham

Department of Philosophy

CTIHB 443 , 581-7302

bryan.benham@philosophy.utah.edu

hum.utah.edu/~bbenham

This course will focus on key figures in the construction of the modern era, since the onset of the scientific revolution. Although many ideas, social forces, and accidents of history combine to make up the modern era, one of the most pervasive and influential is the emergence of a scientific world-view. In this course we will read original works from pivotal figures in the development of the modern scientific worldview and explore their influence on the making of the modern intellectual traditions.

Required Texts:

(SBM) Michael R. Mathews, ed. The Scientific Background to Modern Philosophy. Hackett, 1989. ISBN: 0872200744.
(CAN) Voltaire. Candide. Translated by David Wootton. Hackett Publishing Co. ISBN: 0-87220-546-0.
(DAR) Darwin. Norton Critical Edition, 3^rd ed. Edited by Philip Appleman. Norton, 2001. ISBN: 0393958493.
(UTL) The Classic Utilitarians: Bentham and Mill. Hackett Publishing. ISBN: 0-87220-649-1.
(OPA) Sigmund Freud. An Outline of Psycho-Analysis. W. W. Norton. ISBN: 0-393-00151-2.
(CID) Sigmund Freud. Civilization and Its Discontents. W. W. Norton. ISBN: 0-393-30158-3.
(HAW) Rabindranath Tagore. The Home and the World. Edited by William Radice. Penguin Classics, 2005. ISBN-10: 0140449868.

Grading: Grades will be calculated on the following basis:

60% Three term papers that focus on each of the figures discussed in the course: Newton, Darwin, and Freud. See schedule for due dates. Details concerning topics and expectations will posted on schedule.
20% Weekly writing assignments, due Thursdays. See schedule for details each week.
20% Participation and other in-class assignments. See schedule for details each week.

Course Policies

General Student Responsibilities

Students are responsible for knowing and meeting the course requirements and policies. This includes being up to date on the course content even if the student is absent from class meetings, and being apprised of changes to the syllabus and assignments that are announced in class and/or updated on the website. If the student is having difficulty keeping up with the class, it is the student's responsibility to take appropriate measures to ensure he or she is meeting the course requirements. I encourage students to regularly talk with me about their progress and what they can do to make sure they are meeting the course expectations.
Academic Misconduct

Academic misconduct, which includes cheating, plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty, will not be tolerated in this course and will be dealt with severely. If caught cheating or plagiarizing, student will receive a failing grade for the course and be reported to the University administration for possible further sanction. Students are responsible for knowing and understanding the University's policy on academic misconduct. More information is in the Student Code, available at http://www.sa.utah.edu/code/.

Drop/Withdrawal and other important dates

http://www.saff.utah.edu/regist/calendar/datesDeadlines/fall2004.htm

Assistance with writing or researching

Tutoring is available through the ASUU Tutoring Center in the Student Services Building, Room 330. Students may schedule a day, evening or weekend appointment. Students who qualify for a Pell Grant may also qualify for free tutoring. For more information call 581-5153 or go to http://www.sa.utah.edu/Tutoring/.

Writing Center located at the Marriott Library. More information can be found by going to http://www.writingcenter.utah.edu/.
(ADA) Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Olpin Union Building, 581-5020 (V/TDD). CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations. All written information in this course can be made available in alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability Services. For more information go to http://disability.utah.edu/.
Accommodations policy

All of the course content, reading assignments, films, assignments, and other teaching materials have been chosen in order to achieve the pedagogical objectives of this course best. Some of the writings, lectures, films, or presentations in this course may include material that conflicts with the core beliefs of some students. Please review the syllabus carefully to see if the course is one that you are committed to taking. We will not make content accommodations in this course. http://www.admin.utah.edu/facdev/index.html

Reading and Lecture Schedule

Date	Subject	Readings and Assignments
Jan. 13	Introduction	Discussion: What makes us ‘modern'?
Jan. 15	Scientific Revolution	Keith Parsons: "Copernican Questions" (pdf) Lecture Notes 1: Beginnings (pdf)
Jan 16 (Fri.)	Galileo Lecture	UMFA @Noon. Link to Video

Jan. 20	Galileo	Class Cancelled, No Meeting
Jan. 22	Galileo	SBM, pp. 53-86 Lecture Notes 2: Galileo (pdf)

Jan. 27	Galileo	Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina (pdf) Lecture notes, see Lecture 2 above.
Jan. 29	Descartes	SBM, pp. 87-108 Lecture Notes 3: Descartes (pdf)

Feb. 3	Newton	SBM, pp. 133-158 Lecture Notes 4: Newton's Rational Mechanics (pdf) Recommended Selections from the Principia: Rational Mechanics (pdf) System of the World (pdf)
Feb. 5	Newton	Letter to Oldenberg (Optics) (pdf) Lecture Notes 5: Newton's Optics & Experimentalism (pdf) Writing Questions for Feb. 5 & Feb. 10 (pdf)

Feb. 10	Newton	Design: General Scholium and Query 31 in SBM, pp. 133-158; and Newton & Enlightenment (pdf) Lecture Notes 6: Design and Newtonianism (pdf)
Feb. 12 Darwin Day!	Newton	Newton's Dark Secrets (DVD) @ Marriott: QC 16 N7 N47 2006 (In-class video questions and discussion)

Feb. 17	Voltaire	Candide (Chapters 1-18) Writing Questions for Candide (pdf)
Feb. 19	Voltaire	Candide (Chapters 19-30)

Feb. 24	Exam #1	Studyguide Exam #1 (pdf) Bring a bluebook to class.
Feb. 26	Before Darwin NOTE: All readings for the next few weeks on Darwin will be from DAR, listed above.	Before Darwin Lecture Notes: Before Darwin (pdf) Selections from Part III: Gavin de Beer, "Biology before the Beagle" p. 33 William Paley, "Natural Theology" p. 41 Jean Baptiste Lamarck, "Zoological Philosophy" p. 44 Recommended: Introduction by Appleman, p. 3 All of Part III, pp. 31-64. Reading Questions for Darwin 1 (pdf)
Gv	Voltaire Lecture	UMFA @ Noon Link to Video

Mar. 3	Darwin	Voyage on The Beagle and Origin of Species Lecture Notes: Beagle and Origin (pdf) The Voyage of the Beagle, p. 67-81. Abstract of letter to Asa Gray, pp. 85-87. Origin of Species, pp. 95-174 (start reading first four chapters) Recommended: Ernst Mayr, "Who is Darwin?" p. 23 Reading Questions for Darwin 2 (pdf), same as above
Mar. 5	Darwin	Continuation Origin of Species, pp. 95-174 Lecture Notes: Origin of Species (pdf) Reading Questions for Darwin 3 (pdf), same as above

Mar. 10	Darwin	Response to the Origin of Species Critics Hull, Darwin and His Critics, pp. 257-265 Sedgwick, Objections to Mr. Darwin's theory..., pp. 265-267 Owen, Darwin on the Origin of Species, pp. 267-270 Jenkin, Review of the Origin of Species, pp. 271-275 Supporters Hooker, Flora Tasmaniae, pp. 276-280 T.H. Huxley, On the Relations of Man..., pp. 280- 285 Lyell, Principles of Geology, pp. 285-287 Wallace, The Debt of Science to Darwin, pp. 287-288 Reading Questions for Darwin 4 (pdf)
Mar. 12	Darwin	Influence of Darwinism on Social Thought Darwin, social Darwinism, and eugenics (pdf), By Diane Paul. Recommended: Any of the chapters from Part VI: Darwinian Patters in Social Thought, pp. 387-480; especially the following: Hofstadter, The Vogue of Spencer, p. 389 Carnegie, The Gospel of Wealth, p. 396 Kropotkin, Mutaul Aid, p. 398 Nowak, May, and Sigmund, The Arithmetics of Mutual Help, p. 403 Wilson, Sociobiology: The New Synthesis, p. 409 Reading Questions for Darwin 5 (pdf) same as above

Mar. 17	Spring Break	No Meeting
Mar. 19	Spring Break	No Meeting

Mar. 24	Mill & Marx	Mill: Utilitarianism (pdf) Questions: Answer Study Questions 1, 3, 4, 6-8 Lecture Notes Utilitarianism (pdf)
Mar. 26	Mill & Marx	Mill: On Liberty (pdf) Questions: Answer Study Questions 2, 3, 5-8 Lecture Notes On Liberty (pdf)

Mar. 31	Mill & Marx	Marx & Engles: Communist Manifesto (pdf) Reading Questions (pdf) Lecture Notes Marx (pdf)
April 2	Exam #2	Studyguide, Exam #2

April 7	Tagore	Introduction Chapters 1-6 Questions: As you read, write down questions for discussion in class; at least one question per chapter.
April 8 (Wed.)	Tagore Lecture	UMFA @ Noon Link to Video
April 9	Tagore	Chapters 7-12 Questions: As you read, write down questions for discussion in class; at least one question per chapter.

April 14	Freud	Outline of Psycho-Analysis, Part I Reading Questions for Freud (Tues/Thurs) (pdf)
April 16	Freud	Outline of Psycho-Analysis, Part III Recommended: Part II.

Arpil 21	Freud	Civilization and Its Discontents, First half (Chps 1-4) Reading Questions for Freud this week (Tues/Thurs) (pdf)
April 23	Freud	Civilization and Its Discontents, Second half (Chps 5-8)

April 28	Freud	Freud: The Question of Weltanschauung (tba) (questions included)
April 30	Reading Day	No Meeting

May 4 (Mon.) 8-10AM	Exam #3	Studyguide, Exam #3