Students
PHIL703 – Foundations of Research in Modern European Philosophy: Kant's Critique of Pure Reason
2015 – S1 Day
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Nicholas Smith
Contact via nicholas.smith@mq.edu.au
W6A 735
To be confirmed
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| Credit points |
Credit points
4
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MRes
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
The unit will equip students with the knowledge and skills to carry out research in the field of Modern European Philosophy, broadly conceived. The focus of the unit is the seminal text of ‘critical philosophy’ which has formed the point of departure for the main European philosophical traditions from the end of the 18th century to this day: Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason. Many philosophers consider Kant’s book to be one of the most profound works of philosophy ever written, and it is certainly one of the most influential. The aim of the unit is to examine this text in detail, to reflect critically upon its central arguments, to develop an awareness of its place in the history of philosophy, and to understand its contribution to contemporary philosophical debates.
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Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Acquire a coherent and advanced knowledge of Kant’s critical philosophy and its historical and contemporary significance.
- Synthesise and analyse information from a variety of sources concerning foundational concepts and arguments in Critical Philosophy.
- Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments in Critical Philosophy in written and oral form.
- Analyse and critically evaluate philosophical arguments.
- Apply acquired knowledge and skills in the context of philosophical scholarship.
- Work in cooperation with others and reflect on individual and group performance to identify opportunities for improvement.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Research essay 1 | 40% | 15/04 |
| Research essay 2 | 40% | 17/06 |
| Class presentation | 10% | throughout semester |
| Seminar attendance | 10% | thoughout semester |
Research essay 1
Due: 15/04
Weighting: 40%
2,500 word essay on Part One of unit
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Acquire a coherent and advanced knowledge of Kant’s critical philosophy and its historical and contemporary significance.
- Synthesise and analyse information from a variety of sources concerning foundational concepts and arguments in Critical Philosophy.
- Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments in Critical Philosophy in written and oral form.
- Analyse and critically evaluate philosophical arguments.
- Apply acquired knowledge and skills in the context of philosophical scholarship.
Research essay 2
Due: 17/06
Weighting: 40%
2,500 word essay on Part Two of unit
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Acquire a coherent and advanced knowledge of Kant’s critical philosophy and its historical and contemporary significance.
- Synthesise and analyse information from a variety of sources concerning foundational concepts and arguments in Critical Philosophy.
- Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments in Critical Philosophy in written and oral form.
- Analyse and critically evaluate philosophical arguments.
- Apply acquired knowledge and skills in the context of philosophical scholarship.
Class presentation
Due: throughout semester
Weighting: 10%
Oral presentation on a given topic
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Acquire a coherent and advanced knowledge of Kant’s critical philosophy and its historical and contemporary significance.
- Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments in Critical Philosophy in written and oral form.
- Work in cooperation with others and reflect on individual and group performance to identify opportunities for improvement.
Seminar attendance
Due: thoughout semester
Weighting: 10%
weekly attendance and participation in seminar discussion
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Acquire a coherent and advanced knowledge of Kant’s critical philosophy and its historical and contemporary significance.
- Analyse and critically evaluate philosophical arguments.
- Apply acquired knowledge and skills in the context of philosophical scholarship.
- Work in cooperation with others and reflect on individual and group performance to identify opportunities for improvement.
Delivery and Resources
The unit will be delivered by way of weekly seminars.
Unit Schedule
Course leaders:
Prof Nicholas Smith: Nicholas.Smith@mq.edu.au
Dr Paul Formosa: Paul.Formosa@mq.edu.au
Chronology
1781- A edition of Critique of Pure Reason
1785 – Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals
1787 – B edition of Critique of Pure Reason
1788 – Critique of Practical Reason
1797 – Metaphysics of Morals
Part One: Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason
Page numbers for the main readings in part one of the unit are to Immanuel Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason (CPuR) translated by Norman Kemp-Smith (Palgrave Macmillan). I have also suggested supplementary reading from Sebastian Gardner’s Kant and the Critique of Pure Reason (Routledge 1999)
Week 1: Introduction: Kant’s Critical Philosophy
Reading: ‘Preface’ to the second edition, Critique of Pure Reason (CPuR), pp. 17-37.
Week 2: The idea of pure reason
‘Introduction’, CPuR, pp. 41-62.
Gardner, Kant and the Critique of Pure Reason, chs 1-3.
Week 3: Space, time and transcendental idealism
‘Transcendental Aesthetic’, CPuR, pp. 65-91.
Gardner, Kant and the Critique of Pure Reason, chs. 4-5.
Week 4: Logic, concepts and intuitions
‘The idea of a transcendental logic’ and ‘The analytic of concepts’ ch1, CPuR, pp. 92-119.
Gardner, Kant and the Critique of Pure Reason, ch.6, pp. 115-135.
Week 5: The transcendental deduction of the categories
‘The Principles of any Transcendental Deduction’, CPuR pp. 120-128 and ‘Deduction of the Pure Concepts of Understanding’ (as re-stated in the 2nd edition), CPR, pp. 151-175.
Gardner, Kant and the Critique of Pure Reason, ch.6, pp. 135-165.
Week 6: The unity of theoretical and practical reason
‘The Canon of Pure Reason’, CPuR, pp. 629-644.
Gardner, Kant and the Critique of Pure Reason, ch.9.
Part Two: Kant’s Moral Philosophy
Page numbers for the main readings in part two of the unit are to: Kant, Practical Philosophy, trans. and ed. Gregor, CUP, 1996.
Week 7 :
Groundwork: Preface and Section 1; pp. 43-60
Week 8:
Groundwork: Section II; pp. 61-93
Week 9:
Groundwork: Section III; pp. 94-108.
Critique of Practical Reason: Preface; pp. 139-147.
Week 10:
Critique of Practical Reason: Introduction; pp. 148-149
Critique of Practical Reason: Book 1: Analytic Chapter 1; pp. 153-186
Week 11:
Critique of Practical Reason: Book 1: Analytic Chapter 2; pp. 186-225
Week 12:
Critique of Practical Reason: Book II: Dialectic, Chapters 1 and 2; pp. 226-258
Note: Seminars will take place on Wednesdays 3-5pm EXCEPT for weeks 10, 11 and 12 which will be held on Tuesdays (12, 19 and 26 of May) 2-4pm. The class has been timetabled to take place in tutorial room Y3A 210, but we will use the Philosophy Seminar Room (W6A 720) unless the room proves to be too small.
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In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
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