Dr. Joseph Magee - e-mail: JosephMagee@aol.com Office: 212 Sullivan
Office phone: 713-942-3483
Office hours:
Objective:
This course is designed to introduce the students to the major trends in
philosophy from the end of the classical period, i.e. about 400, until William
of Ockham in the 14th Century, by actively engaging in the practice of
philosophy under the guidance of the thinkers in this period. We will emphasize
the connections that these thinkers have with the classical past, and how they
used that heritage in dealing with their own specific problems. This period is
characterized by the influence that religious faith, especially Christianity,
had on all intellectual endeavors. Thus, we will discuss a problem of central
importance in the middle ages: the tension between religious faith and rational
knowledge.
In all our endeavors in this class, our interest will be primarily
philosophical. That is, we will be interested in trying to determine the truth of
the issue that may be before us. Although this is a course in the historical
sequence, we are not engaged in mental archeology, i.e. the mere identification
and examination of fossilized ideas. We hope rather to pursue wisdom by
following in the mental paths of great thinkers and philosophers of the middle
ages.
Requirements:
Success in all requirements depends on the students' attentive attendance and
participation in the class discussions.
Students are required to read all assignments carefully and more than once.
The reading and analysis of philosophical writing is a skill difficult to
acquire which this course will help students to develop. Study question will be
provided to facilitate students comprehension. Failure to read thoughtfully
the assignments will show in class discussions, hinder a students
comprehension of the material (and thus hurt their grades) and make for a boring
class.
The final grade for the course will be
determined from the scores earned throughout the semester and weighted in the
following manner: 20% Essay I, 25% Essay II, 25% midterm exam and 30% final exam.
Final grades may be adjusted +/- 3 points based upon participation and
attendance, according to the professor's judgment.
Letter grades will be assigned according to the following scale:
95 - 100
A
77 - 79
C+
90 - 94
A-
70 - 76
C
87 - 89
B+
67 - 69
C-
83 - 86
B
51 - 66
D
80 - 82
B-
0 - 50
F
Students should have (or acquire) an e-mail account, and check it frequently.
Communication by e-mail will greatly facilitate communication between the
instructor and students, especially outside of class time. Students are
encouraged to e-mail questions, comments and notifications of absences to the
instructor at JosephMagee@aol.com.
