Modern philosophy in Europe developed under the influence of the original masterpieces of Ancient Greek Philosophy (in particular, Plato) and of discoveries in natural sciences and mathematics. There is far too much good philosophy in this period to read and discuss in a single course. Therefore, we will be focusing on questions such as:
1. What kind of substances are there in the world? If there are multiple, how do they interact?
2. How much knowledge, and what kinds of knowledge, can we possess as human beings?
3. What is the self? What is a person?
4. Is human nature selfish or altruistic?
We will consider these questions while reading about and discussing the philosophies of Rene Descartes, François Poullain de la Barre Princess Elisabeth of Bohemia, Thomas Hobbes, George Berkeley, John Locke, David Hume, and Immanuel Kant
- Teacher: bwinokur, Winokur Benjamin Ian