PHL 300-01: History of Philosophy

HUM 309, 3:30-4:50 TTH

Professor Vahanian

Office: HUM 307A

Office Hours: 11:30-12:30 MWF

Campus Phone: X-6134

Email: vahanian@lvc.edu

http://personal-pages.lvc.edu/~vahanian/

Required Books:

Daniel Kolak and Garrett Thomson. The Longman Standard of History.

Jostein Gaarder. Sophie’s World.

Course Description: The development of philosophical thought from the pre-Socratics through the 19^th century. This course will focus on a sample of texts and figures that are representative of major historical periods in philosophy.

Course Objectives: By the end of the semester, you should be conversant with the trajectory of philosophical thought from the pre-Socratics to the 19^th century. You should understand how fundamental issues have been redefined through the course of history, and which figures have played a fundamental role in reshaping these basic philosophical questions. You should be able to give a brief and nominal oral presentation of the issues that are relevant to each major historical period discussed in class; you should be able to expound and critically reflect on the seminal issues of two historical periods in two written papers.