Modern Philosophy

During the 17th and 18th centuries philosophers became increasingly interested in a cluster of issues surrounding the nature of knowledge and our ability—or lack thereof—to obtain it. Through a close engagement with the works of some of the major figures of the period (Descartes, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant) we will trace Modern Philosophy’s engagement with issues such as skepticism, the nature of the self, the nature of the world, the relationship between mind and body, the meaningfulness of language, and the existence of god.

Texts
Descartes Mediations on First Philosophy
Berkeley Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous
Hume A Treatise on Human Nature
Leibniz Monadology
Kant Critique of Pure Reason

Schedule

Week 1
Descartes Meditation 1 (science and skepticism)
Descartes Meditation 1 (dreams and demons)

Week 2
Descartes Meditation 2 (the existence of the self)
Descartes Meditation 2 (the nature of the self)
Descartes Meditation 3 (clear & distinct ideas)

Week 3
Descartes Meditation 3 (God’s existence)
Descartes Meditation 4 (error)

Week 4
Descartes Meditation 5 (God’s existence again)
Descartes Meditation 6 (loose ends)

DESCARTES PAPER DUE

Week 5
Leibniz Monadology §1-27 (monads)
Leibniz Monadology §1-27 (monads)
Leibniz Monadology §28-45 (God’s existence)

Week 6
Leibniz Monadology §46-62 (best of all possible worlds)
Leibniz Monadology §46-62 (best of all possible worlds)
Leibniz Monadology §83-90

LEIBNIZ PAPER DUE

Week 7
Berkeley Dialogue 1 (primary & secondary qualities)
Berkeley Dialogue 1 (matter)

Week 8
Berkeley Dialogue 2 (God)
Berkeley Dialogue 3 (objections & replies)

BERKELEY PAPER DUE

Week 9
Hume Treatise I, 1 (impressions & ideas)
Hume Treatise I, 1 (abstract ideas)

Week 10
Hume Treatise I, 3, i-vi (causation)

Week 11
Hume Treatise I, 3, vii-viii (belief)
Hume Treatise I, 4, ii (skepticism with regard to senses)

Week 12
Hume Treatise I, 4, ii (skepticism with regard to senses)
Hume Treatise I, 4, vi (personal identity)

HUME PAPER DUE

Week 13
Kant Critique 202-206 (intuitions vs. concepts)
Kant Critique 210-214 (synthesis and pure concepts)
Kant Critique 219-223 (justifying the use of a concept)

Week 14
Kant Critique 245-248 (the unity of apperception)
Kant Critique 245-248 (the unity of apperception continued)
Kant Critique 248-252 (objects)

FINAL EXAM