Berkeley's Philosophy of Spirit - AFSV00191

• Title: Berkeley's Philosophy of Spirit
• Guaranteed by: Institute of Philosophy and Religious Studies (21-UFAR)
• Faculty: Faculty of Arts
• Actual: from 2015
• Semester: winter
• Points: 0
• E-Credits: 6
• Examination process: winter s.:
• Hours per week, examination: winter s.:2/0, Ex [HT]
• Capacity: unknown / unknown (unknown)
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: not taught
• Language: English
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Guarantor: prof. James Hill, Ph.D.
• Class: Exchange - 08.1 Philosophy

Annotation

Last update: UFRHILL (26.09.2014)

Although spirit or mind is the most fundamental entity in Berkeley’s philosophy, most readers take more interest in his views about matter, and in his arguments against material substance. The aim of this course is to concentrate on Berkeley's view of the nature of spirit and the role it plays in his system. We will pay particular attention to Berkeley’s claim that spirit cannot be represented or pictured by an idea, and we will explore the active nature of spirit in conceptual thinking, mathematics, ethics and in other areas of human cognition. Also, again in contrast to prevailing interpretations, we will be interested in the development of Berkeley’s views, including the final neo-Platonist phase of his thought in Siris.

This is a course suitable for all students embarked on master's and bachelor's programmes in philosophy. Non-specialists are also welcome, but should be aware that the course may assume some basic knowledge of early-modern philosophy and that they will need to consult with the teacher about the written assignment.

Requirements to the exam

Last update: UFRHILL (29.09.2014)

The Course requirements are as follows:

(i) Students should attend the course each week. More than three absences over the semester will mean that one is not eligible for the grade.

(ii) Students will be asked to do one piece of written work, an essay of roughly 2,000 words on one subject from the course. The essay should show both knowledge of Berkeley's philosophical position as well as the student's own argued standpoint. The essay title and subject should be approved by the instructor before the student embarks on writing. The essay should be handed in on paper by Monday, December 1st, 2014. Electronic versions will not be acceptable, nor will work handed in later than the deadline.

Syllabus

Last update: UFRHILL (29.09.2014)

The central themes of the course will include the following:

1. The views of Descartes, Hobbes, Malebranche, Leibniz, and Locke on spirit and self-knowledge.

2. Why Berkeley thinks that we have no idea of spirit.

3. The positive account of self-knowledge in Berkeley's early philosophy.

4. Berkeley's opposition to abstraction and his explanation of general thought.

5. The theory of notions as an account of fundamental intellectual concepts.

6. Was Berkeley ever an empiricist?

7. Berkeley's developing view about the notion of divine spirit.

8. The neo-Platonist theory of spirit in Siris.

 

Primary literature:

Berkeley, Collected Works in either the Luce and Jessop or Fraser editions. We will pay particular attention to the A Treatise on the Principles of Human Knowledge, De motu and Siris.

 

Secondary literature:

Talia Mae Bettcher, Berkeley's Philosophy of Spirit, 2007

John Russell Roberts, A Metaphysics for the Mob, 2007

Kennetth Winkler, Berkeley: An Interpretation, 1989