Week 1, April 2-6
Monday, April 2
In the morning, Chuck will talk about the quarter's work, offer thoughts about Hegel, and we will clarify any organizational issues that remain unclear (writing groups, for instance).

9:00 am, Group A essays due today if possible:

First essay for Group A:

I.
Focus on some small section of “A. Consciousness; I. Sense-Certainty; II. Perception; III. Force and the Understanding,” and offer an exposition of Hegel’s thinking, where he finds “contradictions,” and how one is forced to give up one particular version of the subject-object relationship.  How would Kant would respond to Hegel’s account?

or

II.
Relying on specific passages to support your position, compare Kant and Hegel’s Notion of the philosophical enterprise.

Monday-Thursday Seminars: Hegel, Phenomenology of Spirit, through p. 138. Be prepared to discuss Ch. 4, "The Truth of Self-Certainty," pp. 104-138.

Tuesday, April 3
We will meet at 9:30 to review all that we know about essay writing and help those who would like assistance in managing their first essay (due this week or next).

We will then disperse to Satellite Groups and begin that work.

Wednesday, April 4
9:00 am, Group A essays due without exception (please distribute hard copy if any reader requests one -- copies can be left by my office door):

Thursday, April 5
Writing groups at 11:30 and 1:30

Week 2, April 9-13
Monday, April 9
In the morning, Chuck will talk offer further thoughts about Hegel, and set the stage for Wittgenstein's Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. Each satellite will give a brief report on how its work has begun.

9:00 am, Group B essays due without exception :

First essay for Group B:

I.
Focusing on some small section of “A. Consciousness; I. Sense-Certainty; II. Perception; III. Force and the Understanding,” offer an exposition of Hegel’s thinking, where he finds “contradictions,” and how one is forced to give up this version of the subject-object relationship.  How would Kant would respond to Hegel’s account?

II.
Relying on specific passages to support your position, compare Kant and Hegel’s Notion of the philosophical enterprise.

Monday-Thursday Seminars: Hegel, Phenomenology of Spirit, continuting through through p. 138. Also be prepared to discuss the "Preface" and "Introduction" in light of our past work on Hegel.

Tuesday, April 10

We will meet in Satellite Groups and continue that work.

Thursday, April 12
Following seminar, writing groups will meet at 11:30 and 1:30.

Week 3, April 16-20
Monday, April 16
In the morning, Joe Tougas will talk about Wittgenstein's Tractatus, helpting set the stage for our work on that text. Each satellite will give a brief report on how its work has begun.

9:00 am, Group A essays due without exception :

Second essay for Group A:

I.
How would a "logically perfect" language serve us, and how does this differ from having a "critique of pure reason"? Do you think Kant and Wittgenstein undertake the same enterprise, with the same goals? Be sure to work closely with specific texts.

II.
You may choose to write an essay that reflects your work on a Satellite. Keep in mind, however, that your writing for the quarter should be divided equally between your two principal orbits.

Monday-Thursday Seminars: Wittgenstein, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus . Read all of the work, but concentrate your attention on pp. 3-43, as well as Russell's "Introduction."

Tuesday, April 17
In the morning, Satellite Groups should meet.

Thursday, April 19
Following seminar, writing groups will meet at 11:30 and 1:30.

Week 4, April 23-27
Monday, April 23
In the morning, we will review the rest of the quarter and makes plans for winding up the year. Then, since this did not happen last week, each satellite will give a brief report on how its work has progressed.

9:00 am, Group B essays due without exception :

Second essay for Group B:

I.
How would a "logically perfect" language serve us, and how does this differ from having a "critique of pure reason"? Do you think Kant and Wittgenstein undertake the same enterprise, with the same goals? Be sure to work closely with specific texts.

II.
You may choose to write an essay that reflects your work on a Satellite. Keep in mind, however, that your writing for the quarter should be divided equally between your two principal orbits.

Monday-Thursday Seminars: Wittgenstein, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus . Be sure to find time for 5.53 - 6.0, and 6.32 - 7.

Tuesday, April 24
In the morning, Satellite Groups should meet.

Thursday, April 26
Following seminar, writing groups will meet at 11:30 and 1:30.

Week 5, April 30-May 4
Monday, April 30
In the morning, Chuck will get us started on Philosophical Investigations. We will watch Derek Jarman's film, "Wittgenstein" (1993).

9:00 am, Group A essays due without exception :

Third essay for Group A:

I.
Write a commentary on one of the early sections of Philosophical Investigations.

In the Preface (p. x-e),Wittgenstein suggests "... that the latter [thoughts found in Philosophical Investigations] could be seen in the right light only by contrast with and against the background of my old way of thinking [found in Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus]." Perhaps you can suggest how this might be.

II.
You may choose to write an essay that reflects your work on a Satellite. Keep in mind, however, that your writing for the quarter should be divided equally between your two principal orbits.

Monday-Tuesday Seminars: Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations , everything (in English) through §109, and the concluding sentence, "Philosophy is the battle against the bewitchment of our intelligence by means of our language." Further reading in Philosophical Investigations: Sections 110-242 by Thursday, May 3; 243-315, the sooner the better.

Tuesday, May 1
In the morning, Satellite Groups should meet.

Thursday, May 3
Following seminar, writing groups will meet at 11:30 and 1:30.

Week 6, May 7 - 11
Monday, May 7
In the morning, Chuck will talk about "meaning" and Wittgenstein.

9:00 am, Group B essays due without exception :

Third essay for Group B:

I.
Write a commentary on any section of Philosophical Investigations.

In the Preface (p. x-e),Wittgenstein suggests "... that the latter [thoughts found in Philosophical Investigations] could be seen in the right light only by contrast with and against the background of my old way of thinking [found in Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus]." This is still a good topic, but if you choose it, be sure to work closely with texts.

II.
You may choose to write an essay that reflects your work on a Satellite. Keep in mind, however, that your writing for the quarter should be divided equally between your two principal orbits.

Monday-Tuesday Seminars: Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations , everything (in English) through §490, Further reading in Philosophical Investigations: finish Part I by Thursday, May 10.

Tuesday, May 8
In the morning, Satellite Groups should meet.

Thursday, May 10
Following seminar, writing groups will meet at 11:30 and 1:30.

Week 7, May 14-18
Monday, May 14
In the morning, Chuck will talk about Sellars.

9:00 am, Group A essays due without exception :

Fourth essay for Group A:

I.
Write a commentary on any section of Empiricism and the Philosophy of Mind.

Sellars introduces, in the first paragraph, "the philosophical idea of giveness or, to use the Hegelian term, immediacy." What is this idea and why does it concern Sellars? Later on, in §10, he labels it "the Myth of the Given." Why does he raise the idea of Giveness to this status?

II.
You may choose to write an essay that reflects your work on a Satellite. Keep in mind, however, that your writing for the quarter should be divided equally between your two principal orbits.

Monday-Tuesday Seminars: Sellars, Empiricism and the Philosohpy of Mind. Study closely §'s 1-38 (I through VIII). Read the remaining pages at least once, §'s 39-63 (IX through XVI).

Tuesday, May 15
In the morning, Satellite Groups should meet.

Thursday, May 17
Following seminar, writing groups will meet at 11:30 and 1:30.

Week 8, May 21-25
Monday, May 21
In the morning, Chuck will talk about Sellars.

9:00 am, Group B essays due without exception :

Fourth essay for Group B:

I. Suggested topic: (on the stories philosophers tell)

In sections 48-63, Sellars presents the "Myth of Jones." Rorty, in the introduction, says this Is "...a story which explains why we can be naturalists without being behaviorists..." (p. 6 of the introduction) What's at stake here and how does Sellars' "myth" resolve anything? Give a clear explication of what Sellars is arguing and what you understand to be central in the argument.

II.
You may choose to write an essay that reflects your work on a Satellite. Keep in mind, however, that your writing for the quarter should be divided equally between your two principal orbits.

Monday-Tuesday Seminars: Sellars, Empiricism and the Philosohpy of Mind. Study closely §'s 39-63 (IX through XVI).

Tuesday, May 22
In the morning, Satellite Groups should meet. Write a short paragraph that describes the work of your Satellite. This paragraph will become part of the program description.

Thursday, May 24
Following seminar, writing groups will meet at 11:30 and 1:30.

Week 9, May 28-June 1

Monday, May 28
CAMPUS HOLIDAY FOR MEMORIAL DAY. Potluck at Chuck's house, 4 pm on, eating at 6.

Tuesday-Thursday Seminars: Quine, "Ontological Relativity" (handout)

Thursday, May 31
Writing groups will meet to read and give feedback on one another's year-end evaluations. The program description will be posted by Tuesday, May 29.