Philosophy 419
Instructor: José J. Mendoza Links to an external site.
Email: josejm@uw.edu
Office: Savery Hall 385
Office Hour: Wednesday: 2:20-4:20pm
Course Description
This course is designed to provide students with a general survey of Latin American philosophy, including some of its key texts and authors. This survey will range from Mesoamerican philosophy to the present. It will cover debates about whether there was an “indigenous” philosophy in Latin America prior to the European conquest. From there we will look at the debates over whether there is now an “authentic” Latin American philosophy and the course will conclude by looking at how Latin American philosophy can help guide our lives.
Required Texts
Miguel León-Portilla: Aztec Thought and Culture Links to an external site.
Gloria Anzaldúa: Borderlands/La Frontera The New Mestiza Links to an external site.
Carlos Alberto Sánchez: Blooming in the Ruins: How Mexican Philosophy Can Guide us toward the Good Life Links to an external site.
Course Grading Scale
(roughly each 1% increment between grades is equivalent to 0.1)
A 95% = 4.0
B 85% = 3.0
C 75% = 2.0
D 65% = 1.0
At the end of the quarter we will convert your course grade from a percentage to the UW 4-point scale using this metric: 95% and up is 4.0; 94% is 3.9; 93% is 3.8; etc. Each 1% step is a 0.1 step on the UW 4-point scale. So an 86.1%, e.g., would give you a 3.1 on the UW scale. 85.5% rounds up to 86% (and thus 3.1), but 85.49% does not. At the bottom of the scale, however, 60% also rounds up to 0.7. See image below.
Assignment Guidelines for Undergraduates
1. Reading Quizzes (20% of course grade or 1.0 of the 4.0 total)
Each quiz will consist of about 5-20, mostly multiple-choice, questions. There is no time limit and the questions chronologically follow the reading. You are therefore strongly encouraged to take the quiz as you complete the readings. Quizzes will be available for only 14 days. So, do not fall too far behind and keep in mind there is no way to make up the quizzes once the quizzes are closed.
2. Two In Class Exams (40% of course grade, 20% each)
There will be two in-class exams consisting of multiple choice and short answer questions.
3. Class Presentation (10% of course grade)
Students will be asked to present on a chapter of Carlos Alberto Sánchez's Blooming in the Ruins.
4. Final Exam (30% of course grade)
This will be a comprehensive exam consisting of multiple choice and short answer questions.
Reading Schedule
Unit One (Weeks 1-3): Was There “Indigenous” Philosophy in Latin America?
Week One (Jan 5 & 7)
Required Readings:
Miguel León-Portilla: Aztec Thought and Culture:
March 30th (Monday)
Prefaces (both)
Introduction: Philosophy and Culture in Ancient Mexico
Chapter 1: The Birth of Philosophy Among the Nahuas
Chapter 2: The Pre-Columbian Concept of the Universe
April 1st (Wednesday)
Chapter 3: Metaphysical and Theological Ideas of the Nahuas
Week Two (Jan 12 & 14)
Required Readings:
Miguel León-Portilla: Aztec Thought and Culture
April 6th (Monday)
Chapter 4: The Approach to Man in Nahuatl Thought
Chapter 5: Nauatl Man: Creator of a Way of Life
April 8th (Wednesday)
Conclusion
Week Three (
Required Readings:
Unit Two (weeks 4-5): Is There an “Authentic” Latin American Philosophy?
Week Four ()
Required Readings:
.
Week Five ()
Required Readings:
.
Unit Three (week 6): Is There a “Unique” Latinx Identity?
Week Six ()
Required Readings:
Unit Four (weeks 7-10):
Week Seven ()
Required Reading:
Gloria Anzaldúa: Borderlands La Frontera: The New Mestiza
April 27th (Monday)
Chapter 1: The Homeland, Aztlán/El Otro México
Chapter 2: Movimientos de Rebeldia y Las Culturas que Traicionan
Chapter 3: Entering Into the Serpent
Chapter 4: La Herencia de Coatlicue/The Coatlicue State
Chapter 5: How to Tame a Wild Tongue
April 29th (Wednesday)
Chapter 6: Tlilli, Tlapalli: the Path of the Red and Black Ink
Chapter 7: La Conciencia de Ia Mestiza: Towards a New Consciousness
Week Eight ()
Required Reading:
Week Nine ()
Required Readings:
.
Week Ten ()
Required Readings:
.