Sebastian Luft, PhD

Department of Philosophy
Coughlin Hall, Suite 141
Marquette University
Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881 – Office Phone: 414-288-5960 – Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: M 1-2, F 1-3, and by appointment

PHIL 117: Nineteenth Century German Philosophy1

Syllabus, Spring Term 2009
MWF, 12-12:50, Johnston Hall 104

Content:
In this course, we will study the philosophical projects that emerged in the immediate reaction to Kant’s
Critiques. Kant’s transcendental philosophy instantaneously sparked a plethora of controversies not only
on the part of philosophers, but also generally intellectuals, who admired, but also criticized, further
developed, or transformed Kant. This inaugurated the golden era of German philosophy in the first half of
the nineteenth century later known as German Idealism. This period is fascinating due to the intellectual
powers at play and it was, at the same time, energized by political events, such as the French Revolution.
This movement begins with contemporary reactions to Kant by figures, who took issue with Kant’s
philosophy, such as Reinhold and Jacobi. But soon, Kant’s philosophy became the touchstone for original
systematic developments by figures such as Fichte, Schelling and Hegel. It is acknowledged that this was
arguably the most interesting and creative period in German philosophy. We will study the main avenues
of thought as they have been developed in the wake of Kant. Knowledge of Kant or Modern philosophy
will be helpful.

Learning Objectives:
At the end of the term, students will have a grasp on and a general concept of 19th Century German
Philosophy, especially the main representatives of German Idealism, their ideas, positions, theses; how
these have arisen especially as critiques of Kant’s philosophy, and how this fruitful era of thought
influenced the history of 19th and 20th Century philosophy up to the present day.

Texts:
- Behler, E. (ed.): Philosophy of German Idealism. The German Library, v. 23, New York: Continuum,
1987 (ISBN: 0826403077).
- Di Giovanni, G., & Harris, H.S. (eds.): Between Kant and Hegel. Texts in the Development of Post-
Kantian Idealism. Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hackett, 2000 (ISBN: 0-87220-505-3).
- O’Connor, B. & Mohr, G. (eds.), German Idealism. An Anthology and Guide. Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 2006 (ISBN 0-226-61673-8).
- Other reading TBA (on reserve).

Method of Evaluation:
Grades will be based on (a) participation (classroom and D2L); (b) two written exams (take home format).
The final grade will be determined as follows: participation counts 10 %; exams count 45 % each. Exams
will consist of essay questions and will cover the reading up to that point (no cumulative final). No extra
credits.

1
This syllabus can also be found on D2L and at http://academic.mu.edu/phil/lufts/Teaching1.htm.
Class Attendance Policy:
• To get a good grade in this class, regular attendance is required. I will not call roll. Hence, it is up to you
to come to class or not. However, if you do not come to class on a regular basis and participate in the class
discussion, it is impossible for you to achieve a good grade in this class; so coming to class is your
responsibility and your call. If you choose to attend class, please come on time, turn off cell phones and
other electronic devices that interfere with your (and others’) concentration, have the reading prepared and
be ready to participate. If you are not prepared, do not bother showing up. It is a sign of disrespect to your
peers and the instructor to attend class unprepared. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to obtain class
notes from a fellow student and to catch up on reading.
• Students with physical & learning disabilities: If anybody has any of these disabilities, please discuss
these matters with me in private at the beginning of the semester, providing me with the necessary paper
work, so arrangements can be made accordingly. It is your duty to report any of these disabilities as soon
as the semester gets underway.

Expectations of Student Preparation and Participation:

• Reading assignments and preparation: The reading assignment per session is limited; however, this
means that I expect you to come to class having prepared the texts carefully and thoroughly and that you
are able to talk meaningfully about the text, raise questions of your own and provide answers when called
upon. I will take the liberty to “cold call” on students. An approximate preparation time for each class is a
minimum of one hour. The reading for the next session, if not clear from the course schedule (below), will
be announced at the end of the previous class. “Preparing for class” implies underlining and making
excerpts from the text assigned; looking up unfamiliar vocabulary and writing them into a notebook. If you
do not have a dictionary, get yourself one. Some vocabulary might not be sufficiently explained in a
regular dictionary (this goes especially for philosophical terms), so it is necessary to consult additional
sources (e.g., the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy—online—is an excellent source of information, and
the Raynor Library Website is a great resource for nearly all questions in this context).
• Classroom participation is an integral part this course. However, I also count participation in the discus-
sion group on Desire2Learn (D2L) as part of class participation. If you do not consult D2L on a regular
basis, you will miss a substantial part of this class. The discussions on D2L serve several functions: I will
use this medium extensively to post reading assignments and other items (e.g., reading suggestions or
technical matters). If I feel there is a point that was misunderstood or not sufficiently explained in class, I
will address it afterwards on D2L. Most importantly, however, D2L gives you a chance to discuss issues
together, to indicate “muddy points” and voice questions, concerns etc. I encourage you to use this
medium to become clear about problems by discussing them amongst each other and with me in this
manner. This is a helpful tool especially for those who might feel shy in class or did not get to say what
they wanted to for whichever reason. While I place strong emphasis on good writing in exams, I realize
that this is an online medium and postings will hence not be scrutinized for style or grammar. If you have
something to say or ask, just post it. I urge you to remain objective, polite and non-judgmental in your
postings, especially when commenting on a fellow student’s remarks.

Statement on Academic Honesty:

Marquette University promotes academic integrity and in turn does not tolerate academic misconduct or
dishonesty, such as cheating, plagiarizing or the illegitimate use of materials during a quiz or examination,
etc. Any misconduct of these types will be reported immediately to the Department Chair and can result in
a penalty of the grade of F for the course as a whole. (See also Marquette’s College of Arts and Sciences
Policy on Academic Dishonesty as well as the Philosophy Department Academic Dishonesty Policy.) I
reserve the right to use “Turnitin” if I have doubts whether the writing submitted is a student’s original
work.

PHIL 117 – 19th Cent. German Ph – Spring 09 – Luft 2

Other Particulars:
• Introduction Card: Please design, and hand in at your earliest convenience, an introduction card on a
regular sheet of paper that contains the following items: your name, campus & email address, year in
school, major, related courses taken, and what you hope or expect to learn in this course. You are also
welcome to add your hobbies, other non-curricular interests or any other personal information about
yourself that you are willing to share. Most importantly, please also place a picture of yourself onto the
sheet. This introduction card is for my eyes only and will help me in getting to know you better and in
memorizing your names. It is in your own interest that you help me in this effort (e.g., when grading you
for participation).
• Office hours: Email is not a good way to discuss problems. If you have questions or feel the need to talk
about issues, I encourage you to see me during office hours or schedule an appointment. If you are not
vocal about issues, there is no way I can help you overcome obstacles. You are also welcome to come in
groups for review.
• Writing: Exams are expected to be written in College level English, grammatically as well as stylisti-
cally. I encourage students who are not native speakers or who feel insecure about their writing skills to
attend an additional writing class and/or place special effort into the one you are already taking. In
addition, free tutoring classes are available from the Office of Student Educational Services; in order to
take advantage of this service, you need to sign up in AMU 317 or you can call the Office for more detail at
288-3270. I am a stickler for good writing and simply will not tolerate inadequate writing, as this is part of
philosophical and any educated discourse. Written assignments that display grammatical or stylistic errors
or infelicities will be returned unread with the request for a rewrite. In philosophy, as well as in most other
intellectual matters, what you say cannot be separated from how you say it. Thus, good writing is the
bedrock of any liberal arts education, which is especially taught and valued at Marquette University.
Regarding content, I do not expect you to agree with me; I respect other opinions, they just have to be well
argued for. Any interpretation is okay, if you can make the case. Hence, one of the most important
elements in this course is to hone your writing skills. Please consult the grade diagram regarding my ex-
pectations for grading, as well as my guidelines and tips for good writing and avoiding the most obvious
mistakes, all posted on my homepage (see footnote on p. 1).

Course Schedule (Subject to Change)

January 12: First Day of Class, Technicalia

Jan. 14: Opening Lecture, Part I
Jan. 16: Opening Lecture, Part II

Jan. 19: MLK Day, No Class

Jan. 21: Kant I (Reading TBA)
Jan. 23: Kant II (Reading TBA)

Jan. 26: Fichte, Some Lectures Concerning the Scholar’s Vocation (Behler, pp. 1 ff.)
Jan. 28: Some Lectures, cont.
Jan. 30: Some Lectures, cont.

February 2: Fichte, Science of Knowledge (O’Connor, pp. 40 ff.)

Feb. 4: Science of Knowledge, cont.
Feb. 6: Science of Knowledge, cont.

Feb. 9: Schelling, Of the I as the Principle of Philosophy (O’Connor, pp. 61 ff.)

Feb. 11: Of the I, cont.
Feb. 13: No Class (Luft giving lecture)

Feb. 16: Of the I, cont.

Feb. 18: Of the I, cont.
Feb. 20: No Class (Luft at conference)

PHIL 117 – 19th Cent. German Ph – Spring 09 – Luft 3

REMINDER: Sunday, Feb. 22, 3 pm: Aquinas Lecture, Prof. Garber (Princeton)

Feb. 23: Hegel and Schelling, Introduction to the Critical Journal (di Giovanni, pp. 272 ff.)
Feb. 25: Introduction, cont.
Feb. 27: Introduction, cont. – MIDTERM EXAM

March 2: Hölderlin, Judgment and Being (on reserve)

March 4: Judgment and Being, cont. – MIDTERM EXAM due
March 6: No Class

March 9–15: No class (SPRING BREAK)

March 9: MIDTERM GRADES available

March 16: Hölderlin, On the Operations of the Poetic Spirit (on reserve)
March 18: On the Operations, cont.
March 20: On the Operations, cont.

March 23: Hegel, Phenomenology of Spirit, Introduction (O’Connor, pp. 61 ff.)

March 25: Introduction, cont.
March 27: Introduction, cont.

March 30: Schelling, Philos. Invest. Into the Essence of Human Freedom (Behler, pp. 217 ff.)
April 1, 3: No Class (Luft giving talk at conference)

April 6: Philos. Invest., cont.

April 8: Philos. Invest., cont.

April 10-13: No class (EASTER BREAK)

April 15: Philos. Invest., cont.

April 17: Philos. Invest., cont.

April 20: Philos. Invest., cont.

April 22: Philos. Invest., cont.
April 24: Philos. Invest., cont.

April 27: The Oldest Systematic Program of German Idealism (Behler, pp. 161-63)
April 29: The Oldest Systematic Program cont.
May 1: Last Day of Class, Final Discussion, Final Exam

May 7: FINAL EXAM due (1 pm)

PHIL 117 – 19th Cent. German Ph – Spring 09 – Luft 4