PHIL 5983:  Seminar on Hume and Practical Reasoning
Prof. Eric Funkhouser
University of Arkansas, Spring 2009


I.  Contact Information

Professor:  Eric Funkhouser
Office hours:  TTh 9:00 -- 10:30 a.m., and by appointment
Office location:  308 Old Main
Office phone:  575-7441
Email: efunkho@uark.edu (This is the best way to reach me.)		 Class meeting time:  T  3:30 -- 5:50 p.m.
Classroom:  Philosophy Library
Class webpage:  http://comp.uark.edu/~efunkho/HPRseminar.html
All class handouts, and some additional information, will be posted on this website. So, be sure to check it out from time to time.


II.  Texts

Ordered and required:

1.  Millgram, Elijah, ed.  2001.  Varieties of Practical Reasoning (Cambridge, MA:  MIT Press).  (VPR)
2.  Millgram, Elijah.  1997.  Practical Induction (Cambridge, MA:  Harvard University Press).  (PI)
3.  Setiya, Kieran.  2007.  Reasons without Rationalism (Princeton, NJ:  Princeton Univ. Press).  (RWR)
4.  Schroeder, Mark.  2007.  Slaves of the Passions (New York, NY:  Oxford University Press).  (SP)
This book is rather expensive -- more so than I realized.  You might want to share copies.
 Not ordered, but recommended or required:

1.  Hume, David.  A Treatise of Human Nature.  (T)
2.  Hume, David.  Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding.  (EHU)
3.  Hume, David.  Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals.  (EPM)


III.  Course Description

We will begin by reading Hume on action and practical reasoning.  Hume famously claimed that our desires are not rationally evaluable and that reason alone cannot motivate action.  Instead, reason plays a purely instrumental role in guiding action.  We will examine his arguments for these claims.  The bulk of the seminar will then be devoted to contemporary responses, often critical, to Hume’s positions on ends, motivation, reasons for action, and practical reasoning.  We will read books by Elijah Millgram, Mark Schroeder, and Kieran Setiya.  We will also read various articles on these themes that are collected in an anthology on practical reasoning.


IV. Grading

Your course grade will be determined as follows:
Midterm Paper (40%)
Final Paper (60%)
Participation (pushes the grade here or there)


V. Miscellaneous

Assignments are due as listed on the schedule below, or as specified later in the semester. Late assignments will not be accepted, but for extreme circumstances. Even in these extreme circumstances (death in family, hospitalization, imprisonment, etc.) you should notify me before the assignment is due. This holds for exams as well.

Academic dishonesty (e.g., plagiarism or cheating on tests) is taken very seriously. Any violation may result in severe repercussions. For the University policy on academic dishonesty, see:
http://www.uark.edu:80/campus-resources/rlee/honesty.html

If you require special accommodations for test-taking, paper-writing, or anything else related to class performance, inform me of them by the first week of class (with proper documentation) so that the proper arrangements can be made.

Inclement weather policy: Assume, until and unless you hear otherwise from me, that class will not be canceled due to inclement weather (even if the university's inclement weather policy is in effect). If class must be canceled due to the weather, or for any other reason, I will send out a class email as soon as possible. In the worst case scenario, I will simply have a notice posted in the classroom.


VI. Schedule of Reading Assignments

Readings and assignments are due by the date on which they are listed. This schedule is subject to change.

Week 1
Tuesday, January 13

 Topics:  Introduction; Hume background:  ideas, impressions, belief, and theoretical reasoning
Readings:
T 1.1.1-2; You also might want to compare this to EHU 2.  [Note:  Treatise citations are by book, part, and then section.  Enquiry citations are by section.]
T 1.3.7-10; You also might want to compare this to EHU 3 & 5.
Week 2
Tuesday, January 20
 Topics:
Readings:
T 2.1.1; T 2.3.3-6; T 2.3.9-10
Week 3
Tuesday, January 27
 Topics:
Readings:
T 3.1.1-2; EPM 1; EPM Appendix 1
Week 4
Tuesday, February 3
 Topic:  Deliberation about Ends
Readings:  VPR, Chapters 11-13
Week 5
Tuesday, February 10
 Topics:
Readings:  PI, Chapters 1-3
Week 6
Tuesday, February 17
 Topics:
Readings:  PI, Chapters 4-5
Week 7
Tuesday, February 24
 Topics:
Readings:  PI, Chapters 6-8
Week 8
Tuesday, March 3
 Topics:
Readings:  VPR, Chapters 1-3
Week 9
Tuesday, March 10
 Topics:
Readings:  VPR, Chapters 4-7
Week 10
Tuesday, March 17
 NO CLASS -- SPRING BREAK
Week 11
Tuesday, March 24
 Topics:
Readings:  SP, Chapters 1-4
Week 12
Tuesday, March 31
 Topics:
Readings:  SP, Chapters 5-8
Week 13
Tuesday, April 7
 Topics:
Readings:  SP, Chapters 9-11
Week 14
Tuesday, April 14
 Topics:
Readings:  RWR, Introduction and Part 1
Week 15
Tuesday, April 21
 Topics:
Readings:  RWR, Part 2 and Conclusion
Week 16
Tuesday, April 28
 Topics:
Readings:  VPR, Chapters 18-20