General information
Instructor
Here is more information about Prof. Lotz
Class Meetings
Days: TuTh
Time: 3 PM – 4:20 PM
Place: 275 Giltner Hall
Office
Phone: 517.355.4490 [dept.])
Place: 518 South Kedzie Hall
Hours: Tu 4:30-5pm; Th 2-2:30pm, and by appointment
Other Contact
E-mail: lotz@msu.edu
Home Phone: please ask
Webpage: https://christianlotz.wordpress.com
Box
You will find my box in the front office of the philosophy department (SK 503)
Schedule
Introduction
Jan 13, Introduction
Jan 15, Marx to Ruge, May 1843 (online), Marx to Ruge, September 1843 (online); Towards a Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right, 71-82
please read these excerpts, and bring them to class
Jan 20, Feuerbach Theses, 171-174
Alienation
Jan 22, Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts, 83-95
RQ1
Jan 27, Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts, 83-95 [Greg]
Jan 29, Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts, 95-104 [D’Antae]
RQ2
Feb 3, Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts, 95-104 [Lindsay]
Materialism
Feb 5, German Ideology, 175-184; Letter to Annenkov, 209-211 [Kyle J]
Feb 10, German Ideology, 184-198 [ Kyle M, Gabriel]
RQ3
Feb 12, German Ideology, 184-198; Letter to Sassoulitch, 623-629 [Michael]
Feb 17,
no class
RQ4 (homework assignment)
Politics
Feb 19, Communist Manifesto, 245-273 [Brian F, William]]
Feb 24, Critique of the Gotha Program, 609-616; Free Individuals in Communist Societies, 207-208; Artistic Talent under Communism, 205-206 [Charlton, Adam]
Feb 26, Civil War in France (on Paris Commune), 584-596; On Bakunin, 606-610 [Patrick, Kendall]
RQ5
Dialectics, Social Categories, Method
Mar 3, Grundrisse, introduction, 81-100 [Rebecca, Andrew]
Mar 5, Grundrisse, introduction, 100-112 [Reese, Carter]
Mar 10
Spring Break
Mar 12
Spring Break
Mar 17, Grundrisse, introduction, 81-112
RQ6
Money and Society
Mar 19, Grundrisse, 140-156; Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts, On Money, 118-121 [Kaleigh, Jake]
RQ7
Mar 24, Grundrisse, 140-156; Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts, On Money, 118-121
Mar 26, Grundrisse, 156-173 [Austin]; Grundrisse, 193-203 [Matthew]
Mar 31, Grundrisse, 215-239 [Connor]
From Money to Capital
Apr 2, Grundrisse, 239-250
Capital
Apr 7, Grundrisse, 250-275 [Mark]
RQ8
Apr 9, Grundrisse, 281-295 [David, Jacob L]
Apr 14, Grundrisse, 295-310 [Ryan, Rostyslav]
RQ9
Apr 16, Grundrisse, 310-325 [Jacob G, Joseph]
Machinery, Wealth, End of Capitalism
Apr 21, Grundrisse, 690-711 (machine fragment) [Vishu, Brian dV]
Final paper assignment passed out in class
Apr 23
No class
Apr 28, Grundrisse, 690-711 (machine fragment) [Sean L, Dylan]
RQ10
Apr 30
No class
May 7, (day of final exam)
Final paper due by May 7 at 3pm via D2L dropbox
Course Description
In this class we will discuss central aspects of Marx’s philosophy and social theory. We will focus on his conception of society and the role of labor, on a few political aspects of his philosophy, as well as on his first larger economic work, Grundrisse, which still is a fascinating, but very difficult book. We will not much deal with Marx’s political theory (revolution, party conception, labor movement, etc.). We will exclusively deal with primary texts and exclude broader historical questions, such as the development of socialist philosophies in the 19th Century, or 20th Century developments within the great tradition of Marxism. As such, this course presents Marx as a systematic thinker who wants to be studied again and should not be reduced to a historical figure.
This site is a great resource: www.marxists.org
Note
This is a 300-level course in philosophy and, as such, contains difficult material and requires mature students. If you are not willing to study dense written material, listen to unusual lectures, and discuss ideas in an organized fashion, then you should not take this class. This class though can be taken by students without prior knowledge in philosophy. You should not take this class if you are not an avid reader.
Course Goals
This lecture class should students introduce to
- the concept of labor as the central concept for social-political philosophy
- how to think about the relation between labor and society
- the materialist conception of history
- a few selected political ideas in Marx (though we will not focus on politics)
- basic concepts of Marx’s Grundrisse, such as social categories, money, capital, technology, and labor power
Note
Students should be aware of the fact that this course is based on difficult texts. Accordingly, this class requires self-responsible learners and an intense confrontation with the primary text. Accordingly, if you are not excited about the prospect of a daily confrontation with abstract and historical reflections, then you should not take this class. This class is not based on a set of fixed knowledge and, as such, is not based on a behavioral idea of education; rather, we will try to learn together and critically examine the material. The instructor of this class does not have anything to teach, but much to learn.
Required Texts
- McLellan, Karl Marx Selected Writings, Oxford University Press; please get the 2nd edition
- Marx, Grundrisse, (Penguin Classics)
No digital editions, please!
Course Requirements
- daily reading and studying (around 5-10 pages, up to 50 per week)
- weekly reading quizzes
- 1 thesis statement (short assignment, systematic summary of the readings)
- 1 final paper
- homework assignments and spontaneous assignments in class
- participation
Note
The class and my lectures are solely based on the texts selected for class and require a thorough study and preparation of the material. I will primarily lecture on the readings, which will help you to more fully understand the texts. Therefore it is not sufficient for students to come to class without having prepared the texts. And indeed, in the assignments you have to demonstrate whether you have appropriately prepared the readings selected for each lecture.
Note
Every academic misconduct, such as plagiarism, will – without exception – lead to a failing grade in class. Check the Ombudsman’s page (see also note below on plagiarism): https://www.msu.edu/~ombud/
Assignments
Make-Up Assignments
Students who need to miss assignments for excusable reasons, such as a death in their families, MSU related business, emergency weather conditions, or medical reasons, must inform me ahead of time, and will be permitted to make up assignments. I will only accept official doctor notes (no faxes, no emails) or letters from other professors. Unfortunately I am unable to accept any other reasons than those mentioned.
Attendance
To get a good grade in this class, regular attendance is required. I will not call roll. Hence, it is up to you to come to class or not.However, if you do not come to class on a regular basis and participate in the class discussion, it is impossible for you to achieve a good grade in this class; so coming to class is your responsibility and your call. If you choose to attend class, please come on time, turn off cell phones and other electronic devices that interfere with your (and others’) concentration, have the reading prepared and be ready to participate. If you are not prepared, do not bother showing up. It is a sign of disrespect to your peers and the instructor to attend class unprepared. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to obtain class notes from a fellow student and to catch up on reading. Nevertheless, please be aware that you should not make me responsible for a failure that results out of your decision. You should be aware that chances to master this class are minimal, if you do not show up for class or if you do not prepare the readings (=studying).
Thesis Statement (brief overview of assigned reading)
Each student has to prepare one thesis statement for class. The thesis statement should contain [a] a list of main points and claims, [b] concepts that are unclear, [c] intelligent questions about the readings. Students who prepare the thesis paper need to send their thesis papers by 8am per email on the due date to me, bring copies for everyone to class and be prepared to briefly present their statement (this will not always happen). The thesis statement is limited to one page and you must use the following prepared document:
Homework Assignments
From time to time I will send out via email weekend homework assignments; usually a short writing prompt in relation to either lecture or video material online, or in relation to our readings.
Note on Homework Assignments
Given that these homework assignments are always due on Mondays and given that we have class on Tuesdays, I will not accept late turn-ins for these weekend homework assignments (except in emergency cases, see note above). There is plenty of time for you to respond to the task, given that I usually send this out on Thursday evenings.
Final Paper
In order to intensify and improve your understanding of the material, you will turn in one final research and academic style paper, in which you analyze a specific topic (6 pages, double spaced, no more than 1800 words). Assignments will be passed out in class (check schedule).
Reading Quizzes
Given recent negative experience with student’s unwillingness to read and study primary material, we will have weekly reading quizzes. Questions will be passed out in advance. Two quizzes will be dropped at the end of class. Quizzes cannot be made up (except in cases mentioned above).
Unannounced Assignments
There might be – from time to time – spontaneously assigned group assignments in class. Students who do not attend class (and have no medical documentation) will lose all points.
Response Sheets
Every student is asked to submit up to 5 class response sheets during the semester. Please download the form here (plus: print it out five times and add it to your class folder). Response sheets must be submitted at the end of a class session. I do not accept late turn ins or turn ins by email.
Download response sheet (I will only accept answers that are given on this form)
Note
Students are not allowed to turn in response sheets during the last week of class!
Course Evaluation
Assignments
| 1 final paper (up to 1800 words) | 20 points |
| Reading quizzes | 20 points |
| Homework assignments and unannounced group assignments |
25 points |
| 1 thesis statement (use form) | 10 points |
| participation | 10 points |
| response sheets (use form) | 15 points |
| ——– | |
| 100 points | |
Grading
| 4.0 (=A) | 100 – 93 |
| 3.5 | 92 – 87 |
| 3 (=B) | 86 – 82 |
| 2.5 | 81 – 77 |
| 2 (=C) | 76 – 72 |
| 1.5 | 71 – 65 |
| 1.0 (=D) | 64 – 60 |
| 0.0 | < 60 |
GENERIC SYLLABUS (might not be applicable to each class)
Laptop/Cell Phone Policy
You are not permitted to use laptops and cell phones in class. In certain cases I make exceptions for tablets. Please do not text under the table because it is rude. Cell phones should be removed from tables. Failure to follow this policy will lead to unannounced assignments in class or loss of points (at the digression of the instructor).
I will send out emails; in some classes I send out quite a few emails. It is your responsibility to monitor your official MSU email account (even if you use a different account for your daily correspondence); according to MSU policy, it is also your responsibility to make sure that your inbox does not overflow and to check your SPAM folder for emails. Approaching me at the end of the semester and pointing out that you did not receive my emails won’t be accepted as an excuse.
How to Send me an Email
Kick the email address from high school. It’s time for “hot_muffin92@hotmail.com” and “mikey_g@gmail.com” to rest in peace; use your official MSU email address; Greet. Politely. Launching straight into the message is bad, but “Hey!” is an unmitigated disaster; Capitalize and punctuate. otherwise I will lol at your sad attempts; Be clear and concise. Write short messages, and make clear requests; Don’t sound presumptuous. Many people are busy and important (and everybody thinks they are); Please use your name underneath your email. I do not have students without names in my classes.
Class Attendance
As mentioned above, I do not employ in my classes a class attendance policy. Having said this, you should be aware that class attendance is very important. When engaging in a philosophical and humanistic dialogue it is necessary to be an active and present participant in the ongoing discussion. If you miss class please do not email me asking if you missed anything important. Every class is important. You should get a study buddy for the class; a student in class who will inform you of what you missed. If you miss a class you can come to my office hours or make an appointment to discuss the material, providing you have read the material and you simply want to see if your understanding of the material is on target. Time in office hours will not be used to repeat the class lectures.
Grading Criteria + Paper Writing Tips
Check out this page for grading criteria, example of assignments, etc.
Online Research Sources
Unfortunately, some people think that the internet as such is a reliable source of information. If you decide to use online sources for additional information or your paper then do not just use one of the common internet search engines, such as Google; rather, use reliable academic sources, such as Britannica Online, or the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. The Internet Ecyclopedia of Philosophy isn’t very good, but still acceptable. Check out MSU’s library resources! And, as with other sources, you must cite any online sources to which you refer in your essay.
Writing Center Information
MSU’s writing center offers excellent help on all matters regarding writing and learning. Check the website at http://writing.msu.edu for an overview and hours. For more information, please call 517.432.3610 or send an e-mail to writing@msu.edu.
Integrity of Scholarship and Grades (Plagiarism)
The following statement of University policy addresses principles and procedures to be used in instances of academic dishonesty, violations of professional standards, and falsification of academic or admission records, herein after referred to as academic misconduct. [See General Student Regulation 1.00, Protection of Scholarship and Grades.]
Academic Honesty
Article 2.3.3 of the Academic Freedom Report states that “The student shares with the faculty the responsibility for maintaining the integrity of scholarship, grades, and professional standards.” In addition, the (insert name of unit offering course) adheres to the policies on academic honesty as specified in General Student Regulations 1.0, Protection of Scholarship and Grades; the all-University Policy on Integrity of Scholarship and Grades; and Ordinance 17.00, Examinations. (See Spartan Life: Student Handbook and Resource Guide and/or the MSU Web site: www.msu.edu) Therefore, unless authorized by your instructor, you are expected to complete all course assignments, including homework, lab work, quizzes, tests and exams, without assistance from any source. You are expected to develop original work for this course; therefore, you may not submit course work completed for another course to satisfy the requirements for this course. Students who violate MSU rules may receive a penalty grade, including but not limited to a failing grade on the assignment or in the course. Contact your instructor if you are unsure about the appropriateness of your course work. (See also https://www.msu.edu/~ombud/)
Plagiarism, from the Ombudsman’s page
Plagiarism (from the Latin plagiarius, an abductor, and plagiare, to steal) is defined by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy on Misconduct in Research (take that!) as “ . . . the appropriation of another person’s ideas, processes, results or words without giving appropriate credit.”
- Accidental or Unintentional
One may not even know that they are plagiarizing. It is the student’s responsibility to make certain that they understand the difference between quoting and paraphrasing, as well as the proper way to cite material. - Blatant
Here, students are well aware that they are plagiarizing. Purposefully using someone else’s ideas or work without proper acknowledgment is plagiarism. This includes turning in borrowed or bought research papers as one’s own. - Self
Turning in the same term paper (or substantially the same paper) for two courses without getting permission from one’s instructor is plagiarism.
Paper Submissions
In some classes I use Turnitin.com for a first plagiarism check. I’ll let you know.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities should contact the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities to establish reasonable accommodations. For an appointment with a counselor, call 353-9642 (voice) or 355-1293 (TTY)
Drops and Adds
The last day to add this course is the end of the first week of classes. The last day to drop this course with a 100 percent refund and no grade reported is (see Academic Calendar). The last day to drop this course with no refund and no grade reported is (see Academic Calendar). You should immediately make a copy of your amended schedule to verify you have added or dropped this course.
Note on Attendance
Students who fail to attend the first four class sessions or class by the fifth day of the semester, whichever occurs first, may be dropped from the course.
Christian Lotz 