PHI218 - The Rationalists

image of Descartes

Outline

Rationalism is the view that we can discover important features of the world from the armchair, simply by exercising our faculty of pure reason. This course will introduce students to the principal early-modern rationalists: Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, and Kant, focusing primarily on their metaphysics and epistemology. Topics discussed will include scepticism and the possibility of knowledge, the nature of mind, the status of material objects, and the nature and existence of God.

Presentations

Students will have the opportunity to make presentations in seminars, though this will not form part of the assessment for the course.

Preparatory Reading

Descartes, Meditations
Spinoza, Ethics, Parts 1 and 2
J. Cottingham, The Rationalists.

Assessment:

Two coursework essays (50%) and one two-hour examination (50%)

Lecturer:

Eric Olson

Lectures: Autumn Semester 2011

Mon 2-3 Room: HI-LT5
Wed 4-5 Room: HI-LT6

Seminars:
Wed 11-12 Room: JB-SR 117
Wed 2-3 Room: JB-SR 215