PHIL 202
(GH)
Modern Philosophy (3) Examines the thought and influence of major Western thinkers from Descartes to Kant, emphasizing rationalism and empiricism, and critical philosophy.
PHIL 202 Modern Philosophy (3)
(GH)
(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements.
As part of the history of philosophy sequence required of undergraduate philosophy majors, this course is designed to examine the thought and influence of the major Western thinkers of Modern Philosophy: Hobbes, Descartes, Leibniz, Spinoza, Locke, Hume, and Kant. The historical, philosophical, and political foundations of this philosophical era will be examined, as well as topics that were prominent intellectually during this time, such as causality, the relation between mind and body, how we come to know things and the degree of certainty we can attribute to our knowledge, and whether or not we can prove God's existence. Students will be required to critically analyze the texts of the philosophers studied in class, as well as to compare, contrast, and critically evaluate the ideas of these thinkers. They will be graded on participation, comparison/contrast papers, a position paper, a collaborative presentation, and a comprehensive final exam. PHIL 202 satisfies the GH requirement, it may be used to fulfill the minor requirements in Philosophy, and it is a prerequisite to the 400-level courses. This course will be offered once a year with an enrollment of 35 students.
Note : Class size, frequency of offering, and evaluation methods will vary by location and instructor. For these details check the specific course syllabus.