Dr. David Mark Kovacs

This class provides an introduction to the philosophical thought of some of the most important continental rationalists (Descartes, Spinoza, and Leibniz) and empiricists (Locke, Berkeley, and Hume). We will focus on primary readings and will read these thinkers along with their contemporaries, such as Arnauld and Princess Elisabeth of Bohemia. Our main focus will be on select issues in metaphysics (substance, necessity, kinds), epistemology (knowledge, skepticism, and the question of innate ideas), and the philosophy of religion (the existence and nature of God).

Assessment: take-home exam

Grade components: 100% final exam