Texts: N. Jack Ritchie, Understanding Naturalism. Stocksfield: Acumen
Publishing, 2008. NiQ Naturalism in Question. Mario De Caro & David Macarthur
(eds.).
HUMANITIES 592.01 NATURALISM, SCIENCE, AND NORMS Willem A. deVries
Naturalists reject the supernatural: everything there is is in nature. Nowadays, naturalists also believe that the way to investigate and understand nature is science. We immediately face two problems: (1) what counts as “in nature”? (2) It is hard to believe that science can provide all the knowledge we want. Is science the way to know what we need in the areas of Mind, Meaning, and Morality, central issues in the Humanities? Is there a coherent form of Naturalism that does not end being a form of Scientism, which would reject any other form or method of knowledge? Can we reject the supernatural and the magical without throwing the Humanities out as well? The issues here concern our relation to the world around and within us and what it is to be a person at all. We will start by thinking about the motivations behind formulating a doctrine like naturalism, particularly in an American context, then look at some contemporary formulations of the doctrine. With some sense of what the target is, we will then read an recent attempt to think the doctrine through in a sophisticated way. Critics of naturalism will help us better understand what the problems are with it. Whether the problems can be addressed well enough to produce a viable perspective on the world, well, that remains to be seen. About Me: My office is Hamilton Smith 44. The phone there is 862‐3077. Office hours will be MWF 9‐11 and by appointment. Take the appointment part seriously: I know there is no set of office hours that will be convenient for everyone. My home phone is 942‐3077. Email:
[email protected]. I prefer talking to students over almost anything else the University requires of me, so please feel free to drop by. This Course: This is a small class. If we are allowed to continue with the course, the small size poses a problem and offers an opportunity. The opportunity is that we can be very flexible and nimble in adapting the course and its content to the central interests of the class participants. The syllabus that follows is the way I project the course right now — but I am open to (and invite) suggestions for different topics to explore or for a different apportionment of our time on the topics included. The problem is that with a small class, everyone has to be really committed to the class in both attendance and participation to make the most out of the opportunity offered. Texts: N Jack Ritchie, Understanding Naturalism. Stocksfield: Acumen Publishing, 2008 NiQ Naturalism in Question. Mario De Caro & David Macarthur (eds.). (Cambridge,
MA: Harvard University Press, 2004 Everything else will be on Blackboard (Bb). Syllabus: Jan. 25 Jan. 27
Introductions NATURALISM — STATING THE CASES. Reading:. Readings from Naturalism.org. Links on Bb in folder “Naturalism’s self‐image”
Jan. 30 Feb. 1 Feb. 3
Reading: John Herman Randall, “The Nature of Naturalism” Bb Reading: John Dewey, “Antinaturalism in Extremis” Bb Reading: Goetz & Taliaferro, Naturalism, Intro & Ch. 1
Feb. 6
SETTING THE CHALLENGE. Reading: Sellars PSIM Sections I‐III: The Manifest Image. Link on Bb
Feb. 8 Feb. 10 Feb. 13 Feb. 15 Feb. 17
Feb. 20 Feb. 22 Feb. 24
Feb. 27 Feb. 29 Mar. 2 Mar. 5 Mar. 7 Mar. 9 Mar. 19 Mar. 21 Mar. 23
Reading: PSIM Sections IV‐VI: The Scientific Image
Reading: PSIM Section VII: The Stereoscopic Vision Reading: deVries, “Ontology and the Completeness of Sellars’s Two Images” Bb; Short Paper #1 due NATURALISM, AGAIN. Reading: N Introduction & Ch. 1, pp. 1‐27.
Reading: NiQ Introduction, pp. 1‐9; Ch. 1: Stroud, “The Charm of Naturalism,” pp. 21‐35; Reading: NiQ Ch. 3: Putnam, “The Content and Appeal of ‘Naturalism,’” pp. 59‐70. NATURALISM AND KNOWLEDGE: Reading: N Chs. 2‐3, pp. 28‐73
NATURALISM AND SCIENCE: Reading: N Ch. 4: pp. 74‐109;
Reading: NiQ Chs 2: Dupré, “The Miracle of Monism,” pp. 36‐58 Reading: Bb: Joseph Rouse, “Naturalism and Scientific Practices: A
Concluding Scientific Postscript” Mar. 26 Mar. 28 Mar. 30
Paper #2 Due PHYSICALISM AND METAPHYSICS: Reading: N Chs 5‐6: pp. 110‐58;
Apr. 2 Apr. 4
Reading: Bb David Papineau “The Rise of Physicalism” Reading: Bb David Papineau, “The Causal Closure of the Physical and Naturalism”
Apr. 6 Apr. 9 Apr. 11 Apr. 13
NATURALISM, MEANING, AND TRUTH: Reading: N Ch. 7: 159‐94;
Apr. 16 Apr. 18 Apr. 20
Reading: Bb Price: “Moving the Mirror Aside”
Apr. 23
NATURALISM, AGENCY, AND THE FIRST PERSON: Reading: NiQ: Ch. 5: McDowell, “Naturalism in the Philosophy of Mind”;”
Apr. 25 Apr. 27 Apr. 30 May 2 May 4
Reading: NiQ Ch. 4, Price: “Naturalism without Representationalism,” 71‐88
Reading: Bb Rorty “Naturalism and Quietism”
Reading: Bb Lynne Baker, “Naturalism and the First‐Person Perspective”
Reading: NiQ, ch. 11, White, “Subjectivity and the Agential Perspective”
May 7 Final Paper Due May 11 Assignments and Grades Assessment of your achievement will be based on 3 papers; 2 discussion leadership performances; the quality of your course blog entries and comments; and your attendance and participation in class. I assume you already understand what I mean by a paper; details will be discussed as the due dates approach. The discussion leadership requirement means that at two points in the semester you will assume responsibility to lead the discussion of one of the readings. This means you will be responsible for
making sure the class understands the reading. The technique by which you accomplish that (lecture, discussion, role‐playing, magic pill . . .) is up to you. The grade will depend on how well you succeed in achieving the goal. I stand ready to assist you in any way possible. The blog requirement is something new for me, so I consider it experimental. The point is to promote communication among classmates (and me) outside of class. I hope for your help in trying to figure out how to maximize the value of this facility. Last, but not least, in a class this size everyone must contribute to the classroom discussion. Wallflowers who prefer to sit back and let everyone else do the talking will not be allowed. I anticipate the grading allocations to be as follows, but since the class is small and we may revise our modus operandi, this is not set in stone. Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Blog
15% 20% 25% 10%
Discussion Leadership Attendance and Participation Total
20% 10% 100%
Plagiarism is a betrayal of central intellectual virtues; what it means for your character and personal integrity is devastating. Don’t do it; the results will be catastrophic. If you have questions about the proper boundaries, protect yourself and ask me. From the student handbook: The term “plagiarism” includes, but is not limited to, the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials. For further information and a tutorial on plagiarism see http://www.unh.edu/liberal‐arts/plagiarism/plagiarismHome.cfm The University is committed to providing students with documented disabilities equal access to all university programs and facilities. If you think you have a disability requiring accommodations, you must register with Disability Services for Students (DSS), Contact DSS at (603) 862‐2607 or
[email protected]. If you have received Accommodation Letters for this course from DSS, please provide me with that information privately in my office so that we can review those accommodations.
