We aspire to be part of the tradition in modern logic and its philosophy that takes cognizance of the history of philosophy and tries to discover and at times to absorb themes from an older tradition into a new one - transforming philosophers such as Ockham and Buridan into contemporaries. This tradition, as Arthur Prior put it: contrives both to use modern techniques to bring out more clearly what the ancients were driving at, and to learn from the ancients useful ---- devices which the moderns have in general forgotten.

Some of the topics we will take up are:

1) Logic and nature of language; signification; supposition and compositionality

2) Empty names, existential import and expressing existence claims, e.g., the copula (Aristotle) versus the quantifier (Frege, Russell, Quine)

3) Formal logic for assertoric and modal syllogistics with multiply quantified sentences (i.e., for "syllogisms from oblique terms")

4) Nominalism vs. realism in ontology and semantics

5) Intentional contexts, e.g., Frege’s morning star problem, or "John seeks a unicorn.;"

6) The paradox of the liar, e.g., "This sentence is not true."

Romance, as a literary genre, is characterized by various conventions, motifs, archetypes, and idealisms. We will study these various components of medieval romance in a variety of representative texts which both define the genre and react to it.

Our study will focus on the development of romance, from its beginnings in verse form in the romans d'antiquité (the romances of antiquity), Chrétien de Troyes, and the Tristan stories.

We will also look at the mise en prose of romances in the thirteenth century, in the Vulgate Cycle (the Quest of the Holy Grail). Other romances to be studied include the chantefable Aucassin et Nicolette, the Guillaume de Dole (often referred to as the "first Roman de la Rose"), and the "other" Roman de la Rose of Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun.

We will also take up other issues such as performance; relations between image and text in original manuscripts; variations among different manuscripts of the same work and variations in translations (into modern French and into English). There will be a visit (if possible) to the manuscript section of Butler Library at Columbia University.

Students are not expected to enter the course knowing Old French: for French Program students (and others who may be interested) we will work on this in class and in special sessions prior to our class meeting time. While this course is given in English, students are expected to read and understand modern French. (Interested MSCP students may contact Professor Talarico at talarico@postbox.csi.cuny.edu to make arrangements for readings in English translation.)

A complete list of texts to purchase will be furnished prior to December.

Students will do oral presentations and there will be a research paper required.

The class will write and present one short paper it the early part of the term. This paper may be expanded to become the final paper. My aim is to avoid incomplete grades and to allow students to present their work properly.

Texts: I would recommend; Dante Alighieri, La Divina Commedia: Paradiso, a cura di E. Pasquini, A. Quaglio. Milano: Garzanti, 1989. For the Monarchia and Convivio, the Garzanti Editions in paperback. For the Epistles, copies will be provided individually.

A bibliography is available in the Certificate Programs office (Room 5109).

While some knowledge of OE is fundamental to understanding (or teaching) the history of English, as well as for serious work in all Middle English and Scots literature, OE is of deep and abiding interest in itself.

The language at first glance looks difficult, but motivated students routinely succeed in acquiring a reading knowledge in a 14-week course such as this one.

After six weeks working on shorter translation exercises and elementary grammar, the focus shifts to reading more extensive passages of secular and religious prose in the original and in translation.

Selections will include: a 10^th-c. legend of the "transvestite" saint Eugenia, followed by some classic pieces from the surviving manuscripts of poetry (Dream of the Rood, Judith, Wanderer or Seafarer, the fall of Satan and temptation of Adam and Eve from Genesis B, and The Wife's Lament or one of the riddles).

In addition to working on the weekly texts, each student will occasionally report briefly on selected critical studies interpreting or theorizing the readings (some attention will be given to the historical development of Anglo-Saxon studies in the larger context of "English" and the professionalization of the Academy).

Also required is a modest paper (12-15 pp) on any topic in Anglo-Saxon literary culture. Students with some prior experience and enjoyment of learning a modern or ancient language should have little difficulty handling the work.

We will make use of "Blackboard" for posting handouts and sharing materials; elsewhere on the Web there are some excellent sites useful for learning the language and researching the literature and culture of the Anglo-Saxons.

Contact me with queries re. books, etc., and please register early if you think you may take the course: gwhatley@QC.edu

Because it was produced in a manuscript culture, on the other hand, medieval literature tended to a textual multiplicity that modern editors find themselves forced to explain away, either by choosing a "best-text" manuscript whose readings will be followed come what may, or by reconstructing an ideal text representing what the author "actually" wrote – in either case, burying away in the usually-unread textual apparatus all evidence of what the other manuscripts have to say.

In this course, we will look at several medieval English texts that exist in multiple forms, and the responses of modern editors to their textuality. These will include "Sir Orfeo", the F and G prologues to Chaucer’s Legend of Good Women, a selection of the lyrics of Richard Rolle, the Z-, A-, B- and C-versions of Piers Plowman, Walter Hilton’s Scale of Perfection and the short and long versions of the revelations of Julian of Norwich.

Note to Consortium students: This is an intensive reading seminar with only short writing assignments; it is intended as an introduction to research, not as a research seminar. Information: (thomas.head@hunter.cuny.edu)

R, 4:15-6:15 p.m., Rm. TBA, 3 credits