This is an upper-level course that will fully verse philosophy majors in both traditions. Although anyone who has successfully completed one philosophy course may take this course, non-majors will be expected to keep up with the intense pace and with the challenging reading and writing assignments. The topics we will discuss include existentialism, phenomenology, hermeneutics, Marxism, critical theory, structuralism, psychoanalytic philosophy, feminist philosophy, deconstructionism, postmodernism, logical atomism, logical positivism, the private language argument, ordinary language philosophy, contemporary empiricism, linguistic theories of truth, ontological relativity, radical translation, radical interpretation, direct reference, and causal theories of meaning. I expect students to plan their essays well in advance and to turn in at least one set of rough drafts by Friday, June 18 th .
Regular attendance is necessary.
If you are absent for three or fewer class segments, you may still receive credit, although you will have to turn in four pages of extra writing for each segment you miss. If you are absent for more than three segments, you will not receive credit. I want to help you succeed in this course, and I encourage you to aggressively seek out my assistance. Overview of the two philosophical traditions and the topics covered in our anthologies. Discussion of the Introductions in each anthology.