Research Topics arising from Sophie's World

These are topics of particular importance to your understanding of the history and development of Western Philosophy. You should conduct some research into each topic and be prepared to give a very simple, verbal presentation on it (about five minutes) in the following class. Most topics are covered in Classic Philosophical Questions, all are mentioned in Sophie's World and in the Sophie's World CD-ROM. Suggested further reading or resources are sometimes given, but you are encouraged to find your own resources.

Date: 9/18 | 9/20 | 9/25 | 10/2 | 10/4 | 10/11 | 10/18 | 10/23 | 10/25 |
Click the date to see the topic.

For Thursday, 9/18: Plato's Theory of Forms (or Ideas, or Ideal Forms).
Possible Sources: Classic Philosophical Questions, pp. 400-410.

For Tuesday, 9/20: Aristotle's Four Causes.
Possible Sources: these websites for a simple description, Aristotle's own words, and a sophisticated relation of the Causes to Aristotle's logic.

For Tuesday 9/25: Plotinus and neoPlatonism.
Possible Sources: The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Frederick Copleston's History of Philosophy, volume I, chapter XLV.

For Thursday 10/2: The Philosophy of St. Augustine.
Possible Sources: The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Frederick Copleston's History of Philosophy, volume II, pages 40 - 90
Henry Chadwick's The Early Church, pages 216 - 236.

For Tuesday 10/4: The Renaissance and the Empirical Method.
Possible Sources: Classic Philosophical Questions, chapter 26.
The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy here and here.

For Tuesday 10/11: Descartes' critique of the senses.
Possible Sources: Classic Philosophical Questions, chapter 25.

For Thursday 10/18: Spinoza, Locke, and/or Hume.
Possible Sources: Classic Philosophical Questions, chapters 11, 26, 31, 33, 38, 40, and 48.

For Tuesday 10/23: Berkeley's Idealism.
Possible Sources: Classic Philosophical Questions, chapter 36.

For Thursday 10/25: Kant.
Possible Sources: Classic Philosophical Questions, chapters 21, and 27.