Seminar: Philosophies of Judaism
Seminar: Philosophies of Judaism
Professor Shulamit S. Magnus
Course Description:
What is Jewish philosophy? In this course we will examine some of the most important works of Jewish philosophy, an expression that only came into Judaism in the medieval era. Why did philosophical form enter Jewish expression? How did it differ from existing Jewish genres (Biblical; legal; midrashic; mystical)? To whom was it directed, what questions did it seek to address, and what purposes did—and does-- it seek to serve? How and why do the philosophies of different thinkers differ?
Topics we will discuss include reason, faith, and prophetic revelation; Israel’s election and universal human nature; creation versus eternity; divine heteronomy and moral autonomy; free will, necessity, and divine omniscience; evil, justice, and divine omnipotence; prayer, contemplation, human perfection.
We cannot and will not “cover” all of Jewish philosophy. Our purpose is to grapple with some of the major works and ideas of Jewish philosophy from the medieval, modern, and contemporary eras.
Thinkers whose work we will study include: Philo; Saadya Gaon; Yehuda Halevy; Moses Maimonides; Moses Mendelssohn; Abraham Joshua Heschel. (* List in progress).
Course Requirements:
This syllabus contains crucial information for which you are responsible. Read it; ask me any questions. You are also responsible for all announcements made in class and/ or sent by email during the semester.
As a Seminar, this course is discussion-based, with the final grade heavily dependent on this (see “Grading”, below). The Program has limited course enrollment to support the particular nature of the course.
The Seminar meets once a week; there are eleven Seminar sessions. Attendance at each is required and will count toward the final grade. There is no way to make up a missed class. Class begins on time.
*PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS ASSIGNED READING FOR THE FIRST SEMINAR SESSION. YOU MUST OBTAIN AND DO THE READINGS FOR THIS SESSION. See and use guidance for OPs and “Tips to Doing the Reading.”
“Discussion-based” means you must do assigned readings thoughtfully and come prepared to discuss them. If documented illness or emergency prevents your preparation of the reading but you are able to come to class, do so; speak with me.
Grading: Informed participation, including OPs (see below), count heavily (*50% or 60%) toward the final grade (depending on the type of final paper you write; see below).
“Informed participation” means informed by the reading assigned for each session. You need not be clear about everything in the reading or its implications—that is why we have class! Don’t hesitate to ask questions in class-- or to be mistaken in your understanding—that is how learning happens.
You must acquire assigned readings well enough in advance of a class to do them in the manner just described (see Tips to Doing the Reading, below). Do not leave acquiring readings for the last minute; obtain them all at the outset of the course so there is no last minute difficulty about this. Acquiring readings is each student’s responsibility; there are no excused failures to obtain readings in time to do them, and the OP, thoughtfully for each class. Help one another; share readings. (To order books online, try The Book Depository; allow plenty of time for shipping.)
Tips to Doing the Reading:
Do not attempt to do the reading in one mega-session. Rather, set aside time on several different days to do the readings chunks at a time, gradually. Your comprehension and absorption of the material, enjoyment of it, and ability to discuss it will be much better.
If you find anything hard going, just keep going. If you don’t follow one section, trust that you will follow another. Assume you can always make something of what you read and focus on that. Clarifying things in discussion is why we have class!
Observation papers (OPs):
Except for the day of your Leadoff Presentation (see below), for each class, including the first, prepare ONE page of observations about the reading. A total of 10 OPs is required.
An OP is NOT a report/ your notes on the readings, or simply subjective reactions to them, but a distillation of a few, considered, main points about it. To do them: Sit back after you finish the reading, or a chunk of it, and ask yourself: What is this author saying? What main problem is he addressing (all our authors are male; we will discuss briefly why this is). Why is this problem central to the author? What is the author’s goal in this work (books are a LOT of work. People who write books—good ones, at least—have a serious purpose in doing so. Philosophers certainly have an explicit problem they are addressing and attempting to resolve, philosophically. What is this, in each work we read?) What is the author’s method? Language? When they address another philosopher’s system, think about this: how is the author influenced by that system; what is he differing with? Focus on what you have learned in the reading.
Aside from helping you to read more effectively, OPS also position you to participate in Seminar discussion. You do not have to be brilliant or have the “right” comment in order to speak in class, just to have engaged the reading seriously.
Do not exceed the ONE-page (typed, double-spaced) limit.
I will grade OPs with check; check-plus; and check-minus, for: acceptable; superior; lacking in substance and thoughtfulness, respectively. OPs count toward the participation element in your grade. They do not substitute for participation in discussion.
OPs are due and must be submitted to me in hard copy at the end of each class. No late submissions.
Do not fret about doing OPs. You will understand how to do and benefit from OPs more as you do them.
Leadoff Presentation:
Each student will lead off one presentation in each session of the Seminar for up to 10-minutes. Do not exceed this limit (practice your presentation aloud before giving it).
I will stop presentations at (or slightly before) 10 minutes. You will not be able to present all your ideas and points in your presentation. Choose 3-4 main points, (figure on 2 minutes each). You have the rest of Seminar to contribute, as well!
Think of the presentation as a more careful, substantive version of an OP; use OP guidelines, above. Say something brief about the life, place, and times of the thinker (googling him will suffice for this). State what the work is about, for; the author’s reason for writing it. Then focus on some specifics in the thinker’s terminology; method; how he resolves the central problem he addresses; how successful you think the resolution is. Compare this thinker/ work with others we have studied.
On the day of your presentation, submit a 2- page (typed, double-spaced) write-up of it in lieu of an OP. Do not exceed this limit; I will grade your presentation and this write-up based on what you do in up to 10-minutes and up to 2 pages, respectively. Do see me after your leadoff for feedback. You are also welcome to ask for guidance before your leadoff.
You may (though are not required to) give handouts, use the blackboard, illustrations on your laptops, during your leadoff. Just remember, you have 10 minutes.
There are no exams in this course.
Writing Requirement:
Either an 18-20 page research Seminar paper, due in hard copy on May 14, 2017; or a 10-12-page Referat paper, due in hard copy on Feb. 5, 2017. These dates are set by the University; refer any questions to the Program office. In both cases, pages are to be typed, double-spaced; page limits do NOT include Notes or Bibliography, which are required (see Tips to Effective Writing, below).
Your paper can be based one or more of the authors we will have read, reading other of their works; or a combination of thinkers on the syllabus and not; must show thoughtful use of course materials and Seminar discussions, as well as significant new material, and be written clearly and coherently, in correct, grammatical English.
All paper topics must have my approval, for which you must speak with me by week 5 of the course. Submit a proposed topic and preliminary Bibliography in that session. You are welcome to consult with me about choosing your topic and for help with a Bibliographical search. You MAY well change your topic as you research it. Submit a revised paper proposal in week 9 of the course.
Tips to Effective Writing:
Coherent thinking and effective writing, including correct grammar and spelling, and solid, substantiated, analytic argumentation presented clearly, count heavily in the paper’s final grade.
Avoid passive tense; jargon; needlessly complicated language; long, convoluted words or sentences. Cite specifics. Do not use quotes extensively, and only, sparingly, to illustrate a point YOU make, never to make a point; use your own words (I am grading you in your paper, not Maimonides, etc.) Use the fewest, most precise words to make your point. End-or Foot Notes and Bibliography are required and must be done using The Chicago Manual of Style. I will give further guidance about the paper in class; you are welcome to consult with me about it at any time.
Grading: The Seminar paper will constitute 50% of the grade. A Referat paper will constitute 40% of the grade. The rest of your grade will be based on your participation in Seminar sessions and OPs.
Students in the Seminar must be in your third year and majors or minors in the discipline of the course. Any desired exceptions to this requirement must be processed through the Program Office. The course is not open to OSP or exchange students. For any questions, see the Program Office staff.
The University reminds you that the two Seminars you take this year are not only the highpoint of your academic studies but constitute 20% of your GPA.
Required Texts:
Welcome to the Course!
1. Why Jewish Philosophy? Earliest Expressions: Philo; Saadya Gaon Oct. 26
2. Maimonides Nov. 2
3. Maimonides Nov. 9
4. Nov. 16 Work up your proposed Paper topic and preliminary Bibliography for submission next week.
5. Nov. 23 * Submit your proposed Paper topic and preliminary Bibliography today (in hard copy).
6. Nov. 30
7. Dec. 7
8. Dec. 14
9. Dec. 21 Submit your revised Paper topic proposal and Bibliography (hard copy).
10. Dec. 28
11. Jan. 4
