PH423 MODERN PHILOSOPHY

With Descartes, a radical rupture in the history of philosophical thought began, one that continues, in part, down to the present day. This course examines the trajectory of philosophy from Descartes through other thinkers such as Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, and Hume up to the end of the era with Immanuel Kant. While many of these philosophers may strike us as odd, their thought has had an enduring influence on our culture today, possibly for the better, often for the worse. Enduring themes of the era will emerge, such as the relationship between epistemology and ontology, how we come to know, whether we can come to know at all, and the nature of man.