History 4990 - Senior Seminar: The Enlightenment

Spring, 2002

Dr. Schrader

During Spring Semester, 2002, I will offer the departmental senior seminar (HIST 4990) with the topic being "The Enlightenment." I will offer this seminar on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 9:00.

The purpose of this seminar is to explore the movement known as the Enlightenment, with special reference to it as a major influence on the secularization and modernization of the Western world.

The text for the course will be Peter Gay's two volume The Enlightenment: An Interpretation, vol. 1, The Rise of Modern Paganism (originally pub.1966, paperback edition 1995 - Yale U.P. - $18.95), and vol. 2, The Science of Freedom (originally pub. 1969, paperback edition 1996 - Yale U.P. - $18.95).

As this is a seminar, each student will be required to submit a major research paper of 20 to 25 pages of text, not including title page, table of contents, bibliography, etc. We will follow The Chicago Style Manual, formerly known as Kate Taurabian's Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations for the apparatus criticus.

Grades will be based primarily (80%) on the paper, secondarily (20%) on participation. There will be no tests.

Topics to be covered include: the disruption of the medieval world view, the rise of the secular state, Humanism, Protestantism, the Scientific Revolution, Cartesianism, the absolute state, Deism, Lockian psychology, the social contract theory of the state, L'Encyclopédie, utilitarianism, enlightened despotism, materialism, the Romantic reaction against the extremes of the Enlightenment.