Modern Philosophy

PHIL

212

Modern Philosophy

The ?Modern? period in philosophy extends from approximately the 16th ? 17th centuries. This period in the history of philosophy is distinguished from the Ancient and Medieval periods in number of important ways. The emergence of the new science, championed by Copernicus and Galileo, inspired and changed the world views of philosophers in this period. This period is also marked by the advancement of new technology, the reformation and religious pluralism, and the search for the foundation of knowledge. Particularly, Descartes, who is justly regarded as the father of modern philosophy, created the theory of knowledge, epistemology, as a separate discipline within philosophy for the first time. Previously, a theory of knowledge had been treated as falling under Aristotle?s logical work, but with Descartes, epistemological questions came to the fore. Thus the modern philosophy has been driven by the questions about knowledge, and that has been the starting point of those two dividing traditions?rationalism and empiricism. In this course, we will examine and criticize the writings of some primary figures falling under the traditions of rationalism and empi

Fall, Spring

Undergraduate

Yes

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