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CHAPTER XVII - THE BAROQUE

(What does Baroque mean in art and literature?)

I. ARMY OFFICER DIES IN LEBANON, - QUESTIONS FROM DAUGHTER TO MOTHER. THE ACCUSATIONS ARE INTENSE. SHOULD THEY BE?

A. MOTHER TO DAUGHTER--IS SOPHIE SEEING AN OLDER MAN? IN WHAT SENSE IS SOPHIE'S MOM RIGHT AND WRONG ABOUT 'LOVE'?

B. DAUGHTER TO MOTHER--DIVORCE? WHERE IS DAD?

C. NOTICE THAT SOPHIE IS QUITE POINTED IN REFUSING TO TELL HER MOTHER ABOUT___? (P. 214) WHY?

D. SOPHIE WILL CELEBRATE HER 15TH BIRTHDAY PARTY, WITH ALBERTO AS A GUEST AT A PHILOSOPHICAL GARDEN PARTY?

II. ANOTHER POSTCARD, THIS TIME IN HER TEXTBOOK (P. 218):

A. TO HILDE--DEATH IN LEBANON--DOES PHILOSOPHY HAVE A CURE?

B. HILDE LOST MONEY. {WHO FOUND IT}? READ THE LETTER CAREFULLY ON PAGE 221. WHAT DO YOU THINK COINCIDENCES MEANS IN CONTEXT? NOTE TOO THE REFERENCE TO GOD'S PROVIDENCE WORKING (OR NOT?)

C. CAN A COURSE IN PHILOSOPHY END THE WAR--what is the philosophical issue? CONSIDER THE CRITIQUE OF COLLEEN RAWLEY (FBI) REGARDING THE MIDDLE EAST. COULD A COURSE IN PHILOSOPHY END THE WAR, OR EVEN HAVE PREVENTED IT ?

III. SOPHIE APPLIES THE PHILOSOPHY TAUGHT SO FAR TO HER WALK WITH HERMES...

A. MAN AND ANIMALS: THE QUESTION OF A SOUL (P. 220)

B. SOPHIE FINDS A POSTCARD WHERE THE MONEY WAS:

IV. SEVENTEENTH CENTURY EPISTEMOLOGY--SOPHIE AND ALBERTO:

A. PEARL OF IRREGULAR SHAPE, SO A PERIOD OF MANY DIFFERENT CONTRASTS

B. HOW CAN EPISTEMOLOGY BE RELIABLE GIVEN THE BAROQUE METAPHOR AS THE CHAPTER'S TITLE?

C. LOCKE AND DESCARTES WILL TAKE OPPOSING VIEWS:

  1. realism / idealism (metaphysics) will become reflection (epistemology)
  2. nominalism / materialism (metaphysics) will become sensation (epistemology)
  3. this dualistic mode of thinking will be termed the mind (Descartes)-matter (Locke) dichotomy
  4. In literature, the Cavalier poets (Herrick, Lovelace) and the metaphysicals (Donne, Herbert) will explore the dualism. Find out what a metaphysical conceit is.
  5. How does Andrew Marvell reflect the complexities of the age in his Coy Mistress poem?

D. THE METAPHOR OF THE THEATER DOMINATES THE AGE THANKS TO SHAKESPEARE. WHAT IS ILLUSION AND WHAT IS REALITY?

E. TO BE OR NOT TO BE...WHAT DID HAMLET THINK?

V. IDEALISM VS. MATERIALISM OF THE NEW SCIENCE:

A. HOBBES--HOW DO WE LIVE?

B. THE UNIVERSE AS A MACHINE--METAPHOR OF THE CLOCK.

C. DEISM--REASONABLE CHRISTIANITY.

SUGGESTED READING

Check this site for background material relevant to epistemology in the 17th Century, and see also Supplementary Readings for primary sources.

REMEMBER THAT THE SUPPLEMENTARY READING SECTION CONTAINS LINKS TO OTHER SITES FROM WHICH YOU CAN ACCESS PRIMARY SOURCE MATERIAL: CLICK HERE.

NOTE THAT THE PHRASE RECONCILIATION OF OPPOSITES WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT IN SOPHIE'S QUEST....

WHAT SET OF OPPOSITES HAS

DOMINATED THE HISTORY

OF PHILOSOPHY VIRTUALLY

FROM ITS INCEPTION?

[Sophie will need to grasp this as will we.]

THE LITERARY CRITIC SIR PHILIP SIDNEY IN HIS APOLOGY FOR POETRY [RECALL SOCRATES] SAID THAT THE POET TAKES THE BEST FROM HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY AND MAKES A SYNTHESIS. CLICK HERE FOR HIS VIEWS.

IN THE RENAISSANCE AND BAROQUE PERIOD, THE GREATEST OF ALL POETICAL PHILOSOPHERS, SHAKESPEARE, WROTE. CLICK HERE TO VIEW MY SHAKESPEARE WEB PAGE.

ASSIGNMENT; BRING TO CLASS YOUR FAVORITE SHAKESPEARE PLAY, AND BE PREPARED TO EXPLORE ITS PHILOSOPHICAL CONTENT.

ANOTHER POET / PHILOSOPHER WORTHY OF EXPLORATION IS JOHN DONNE. SEE ESPECIALLY HIS SONNETS AND MEDITATIONS.