Subject Area: Philosophy

The capstone combines close study of a pivotal text in the history of philosophy with reflection upon contemporary philosophical debates and practices. The selected text will be examined from various angles, e.g.: (1) with respect to its historical context (possibly including the broader political or intellectual climate in which it was written); (2) with respect to its integrity as a unified and systematic work; (3) with regard to the independent power of its arguments, and the unstated implications of its conclusions; and (4) with regard to its enduring influence over contemporary debates. The practical apprenticeship of the subject will be developed by introducing students to the variety of research practices of the discipline and encouraging students to reflect upon those practices in the development of a sustained and integrated research project. Texts may be selected from the following authors: Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hume, Kant.