Schedule of Readings

Introduction:  "Know Thyself":  Thinking About the Cultural Roots of Modernity

1. Modernity's Challenges

Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes), 1-11.

Edward Hopper, Nighthawks
Alberto Giacometti, La Place (another view)
Edvard Munch, The Scream
Hannah Hoch, Cut with the Kitchen Knife
Kafka, The Metamorphosis, I

2. Modernity: The Standard Account Cosmopolis: The Hidden Agenda of Modernity, Stephen Toulmin

3. Modernity and the Gospel of Progress

“Progress of the Human Mind,” Marquis de Condorcet
“Course in Positive Philosophy,” Auguste Comte, The Essential Comte
Marx for Beginners, Rius

H. G. Wells, The Shape of Things to Come

4. Modernity and the Idea of the Human Person

“A Tragic Misunderstanding,” Henri de Lubac, The Drama of Atheist Humanism (selection)
Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes), 12-26

C. S. Lewis, “The Abolition of Man”
Chaplin, Modern Times

Section II: Re-Examining the Roots of Modernity: The Scientific Revolution

5. The Copernican Revolution

The Copernican Revolution, Thomas Kuhn

6. New Cosmologies, New Views of the World

The Universe of Aristotle and Ptolemy
The Copernican Model: A Sun-Centered Solar System
Heliocentric Models of the World
The Observations of Tycho Brahe
Tycho’s Model of the Universe
Johannes Kepler: The Laws of Planetary Motion
Galileo: The Telescope and the Laws of Dynamics
Copernicus, De Revolutionibus, Preface by Osiander and Dedication to Pope Paul III
Kepler, “The Harmonies of the World”

7. The Galileo Affair and the Myth of the Galileo Affair

“The Galileo Affair”: 2 audio recordings
Giordano Bruno Superstar

Galileo: On the Shoulders of Giants

8. Science and Biblical Interpretation

Galileo, “Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina”
Spinoza, "On the Interpretation of Scripture"

9. Galileo and the New Mathematical Physics

Galileo, “Letters on Sunspots”
Galileo, “The Assayer”
“Galileo’s Methodology,” The Founders of Classical Science

10. Science and "Method"

Ede and Cormack, A History of Science in Society, “The Scientific Revolution: Contested Territory”
Francis Bacon, The Great Instauration
Encyclopedia Article on Francis Bacon

Edward R. Dougherty, "The Real War on Science"

11. Science vs. Reductivist Materialism

Stephen Barr, “Retelling the Story of Science”

12. Science and Religion:  The Conflict Thesis

“Science and Religion”: audio recording (Blackboard)

13. Re-Examining the Conflict Thesis

David B. Wilson, “The Historiography of Science and Religion”
Colin A. Russell, “The Conflict of Science and Religion”
Pope John Paul II, Fides et Ratio, “Preface” (see link)
Pope John Paul II, “Address to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences” (Faith Can Never Conflict With Reason)
Michael Sherwin, O.P., “Reconciling Old Lovers: John Paul on Science and Faith”

Section III: Re-Examining the Roots of Modernity: The Legacy of Descartes

14. The Cartesian Heritage

Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy, Meditations 1 and 2
Jacques Maritain, “The Cartesian Heritage,” from The Dream of Descartes

15. Re-Examining the Cartesian Legacy: The Break from Tradition

“What is Enlightenment?” Immanuel Kant
Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) “Anthropological Foundations of the Concept of Tradition,”
    from Principles of Catholic Theology

16. Adjusting Reality to the Limits of Clear and Distinct Ideas: Re-Examining the Legacy of Cartesian Rationalism

Pope John Paul II, Crossing the Threshold of Hope
Joseph Ratzinger, “The Dilemma of Belief in the World of Today,” from Introduction to Christianity

17. Man, the Ghost in a Machine: Re-Examining the Legacy of Cartesian Dualism

Descartes, Treatise on Man
Etienne Gilson, “Cartesian Spiritualism,” from The Unity of Philosophical Experience

Leon Kass, “Nature, Ethics, and Modern Science,” from The Hungry Soul
Hubert Dreyfus, On the Internet, “Introduction,” and ch. 2: “How Far is Distance Learning from Education?”

18. The Remoteness of the Real:  Re-Examining the Legacy of Cartesian Idealism

Hubert Dreyfus, On the Internet, ch. 3: “Disembodied Telepresence and the Remoteness of the Real”
Patrick Deneen, “Abstraction”

19. Cartesian Idealism and the Challenges of Modern Relativism

“Debate? Dissent? Discussion? Oh, Don’t Go There!”, Michiko Kakutani
“American Satyricon, “R. R. Reno, First Things
Allan Bloom, “Our Virtue,” from Closing of the American Mind

20. Nature, Person, and Culture in the Modern World: Cartesian Idealism and the Challenges of Autonomous Individualism 

Allan Bloom, “Relationships,” from Closing of the American Mind

Section IV: Re-Examining the Roots of Modernity: The Legacy of Thomas Hobbes

21. Hobbes and the “Natural Condition” of Man 

Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (chs. 13-15, 17, 18, 47)

22. The Modern Notion of “Freedom”

George Weigel, “A Better Concept of Freedom”

23. Freedom and Truth

Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI), “Truth and Freedom”

24. Truth and Moral Goodness

Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue, "Introduction," "Why the Enlightenment Project Was Doomed to Fail"

25. Persons and Society

26. Persons and the Common Good

“The Person and Society,” Jacques Maritain, The Person and the Common Good

27. Nature, Person, and Culture in the Modern World