Introductory description

Has modern science shown that objects are not coloured? Is scepticism about our ability to know and understand the world an essential part of a rational, enlightened outlook? Is Berkeley right that the idea of a perceived object existing ‘without the mind’ involves a ‘manifest contradiction’? Can human thought and action be understood as part of the natural world? Does the notion of God play an essential role in moral thinking? How useful is the schema ‘rationalism vs empiricism (plus Kant’s attempt to combine insights from both traditions)’ in understanding the evolution of 17th/18th century philosophy?

These are some illustrative examples of the questions we will be tackling as part of this two-term exploration of (some key episodes in) the history of modern philosophy.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Term 1 will focus on Locke, Berkeley and Hume, term 2 on Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason. We will look at the historical context shaping, and occasionally shaped by, the thinking of our protagonists (reformation, scientific revolution, enlightenment). We will also examine some crucial disagreements between them, e.g. over the nature of human rationality and the question of which aspects of reality, if any, are mind-independent.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• 1. Demonstrate an understanding of the key ideas and arguments in the texts and topics covered in the module
• 2. Critically engage with the main arguments of the texts, and articulate their own views of the relative strengths and weaknesses of these arguments.
• 3. Demonstrate sensitivity to some of the main differing interpretations of the key ideas and arguments presented in the texts.

Subject specific skills

At the end of this course students will understand, and be able critically to think about, Kant’s views and arguments regarding some of the central topics of the Critique of Pure Reason, including space, perception, self-awareness, causation, God.

Transferable skills

At the end of this course, students will have the ability

• to interpret complex texts in the light of their historical contexts
• to understand and adjudicate highly complex scholarly debates regarding both interpretative and substantive questions