Mary Cassatt, Mother about to wash her sleepy child, 1880

Judith Lester, Carousing Couple, 1630

Rick and Louis: a beautiful friendship

SIENA COLLEGE

LOUDONVILLE, NEW YORK

AIM OF THE COURSE

Although much "modern" (1600-1900) philosophy focused on issues surrounding epistemological concerns and paid hardly any attention to love, this was not true for earlier philosophy, as it has not been true for 20^th century philosophers. This course will examine some views on the issue of love from classical, medieval, and contemporary thinkers. It will revolve about certain concerns typical for philosophy: (1) ontological concerns asking about the nature and existential status of love; (2) taxonomic concerns asking about the different kinds or types of love; (3) axiological concerns dealing with questions of value; and, (4) pragmatic concerns involving the place of love in life.

PLAN OF THE COURSE

The course will proceed in a chronological order. We will begin with Plato, then read St. Augustine, and end with the two twentieth century figures, Kristeva and Lewis. Because humans are story telling animals, and because so many stories deal with love, several narratives will be used to provide some sense of how artists have dealt with the question of love. Cyrano de Bergerac and three films will be used in this way. In order to facilitate discussion, groups of students will be assigned to prepare certain sections of the reading assignments, and to research background material.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE

There will be a mid-term, a paper, and a final in this course. Evidence of preparation for each class and high quality participation are also expected. Each of these components (mid-term, paper, final, class preparation/participation) will count for 25% of the grade. For philosophy majors the written assignment will be a research paper.

Because this course meets only once a week, it puts a special burden on the students for time management and class attendance. Remember that a whole week’s worth of reading must be done for each class. Do not wait until the day before class to begin reading. This is especially true in a philosophy class, where the texts have to be read more than once. Please plan ahead, read the texts several times and take notes on your reading. The once-a-week nature of the class also makes absences more serious than in courses that meet three times a week. AFTER TWO ABSENCES STUDENTS WILL BE AWARDED A GRADE OF "U", FAILURE DUE TO EXCESSIVE ABSENCES. THIS POLICY WILL BE ADHERED TO RIGOROUSLY. Tardiness will count as half an absence, as will attendance for only part of any class. Neither work nor athletics may be used as an excuse for absence or tardiness.

REQUIRED BOOKS:

Edmond Rostand. Cyrano de Bergerac, trans. Burgess. Vintage Classics.

Plato. The Symposium, Hackett.

St. Augustine. On Marriage and Sexuality, Catholic U. of America Press

Julia Kristeva. Tales of Love. Columbia U. Press

C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves. Harcourt Brace

PHOTOCOPY HANDOUT:

Aristotle, "On Friendship."

RECOMMENDED:

Diane Ackerman, A Natural History of Love

Assignments:

Jan 13/15: Discussion of Cyrano de Bergerac, Introductory lecture notes on the philosophies of love

Jan. 20/22 Plato

Jan. 27/29 Plato

Feb. 3/5 Aristotle ,and film: Othello

Feb. 17/19 St. Augustine

Feb. 24/26 St. Augustine

Mar. 3/5 Mid-Term exam and film: My Man Godfrey

Mar. 17/19 Kristeva

Mar. 24/26 Kristeva

Mar. 31/Apr. 2 Kristeva

Apr. 14/16 Lewis

Apr. 21/23 Lewis

Apr. 28/30 Film: Casablanca

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