Modern Philosophers
%% Leaving the Middle Ages %%
"Following the light of the sun, we left the Old World." - Columbus
AristotleAristotle
Aristotle
Books
[[Aristotle, Poetics|Poetics]]
[[Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics|Nicomachean Ethics]]
[[Aristotle, Categories|Categories]]
among many others
Aristotle's Paradigm (Middle Ages bkgrd)
Matter is eternal and exists w/o forms
Forms only exist with matter
No sensations, no imagination, no intellect w/o forms, phantasms, or species in the mind
Impressions on a passive mind
impressions are the things we see, sense
Active intellect perceives pas...'s Paradigm is their background, what they are breaking free of
New Paradigm
- Thirty Years War scared them; religion is not the answer
- starting with the Renaissance, now the church is no longer the authority: science is the authority
- Also, AristotleAristotle
Aristotle
Books
[[Aristotle, Poetics|Poetics]]
[[Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics|Nicomachean Ethics]]
[[Aristotle, Categories|Categories]]
among many others
Aristotle's Paradigm (Middle Ages bkgrd)
Matter is eternal and exists w/o forms
Forms only exist with matter
No sensations, no imagination, no intellect w/o forms, phantasms, or species in the mind
Impressions on a passive mind
impressions are the things we see, sense
Active intellect perceives pas... & PlatoPlato
Plato
Athenian philosopher during the Classical period of Greece. Disciple of Socrates, and wrote down his (purported) dialogues.
Books
[[Plato, Meno|Meno]]
[[Plato, Phaedrus|Phaedrus]]
[[Plato, The Apology|The Apology of Socrates]]
are no longer the authority - philosophy's goal is to justify the new epistemology of science
- when epistemology becomes individual, SkepticismSkepticism
Skepticism
Skepticism is a valid, and helpful thing. [[The Chastity of the Intellect]]
Skeptical of what?
- meta-narratives?
- epistemology?
- senses?
A skeptic is one who doubts the viability & veracity of claims
Greek Camps of Skepticism
Academic Skepticism (can't express anything about what we know)
Pyrrhonic Skepticism (can't know anything about what we know)
Pyrrho lived very consistently w/ his philosophy, until he got mad at his cook for making bad fo... abounds - philosophers all asking "how do we know what's true? does science lead to truth?"
- moving from the religiously focused geocentric theory to the scientifically focused heliocentric theory (Copernicus)
How can we have a social contract w/o becoming rule of the majority? What can a minority do?
Timeline of Philosophers
| Name | Dates | Philosophy |
|---|---|---|
| Copernicus | 1473-1543 | |
| LutherLuther Martin Luther Wrote [[Luther, Freedom of a Christian|Freedom of a Christian]] Background trained as lawyer became monk felt very inadequate, so encouraged to study the scriptures by Staupitz S also got him an advanced degree in theology, teacher , Univ of Wittenberg great struggle between Gods righteousness and man's sin. how could a display of god's righteousness be good news? "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed" (Rom 1) "The person who believ... |
1483-1546 | |
| CalvinCalvin John Calvin Institutes ![[Calvin, Institutes#Summary of excerpt]] |
1509-1564 | |
| BaconBacon Francis Bacon Class Notes Four Idols of False Knowing 1) Idols of the tribe 2) Idols of the cave (your personal bias) 3) Idols of the market 4) Idols of the theater seek truth using [[Reason#Diff types of Reasoning|induction vs deduction]] was against deductive reasoning started a "scientific revolution" inspired from Roger Bacon emphasis on experimentation |
1561-1626 | very empiricist |
| HobbesHobbes Thomas Hobbes Wrote Hobbes, Leviathan Do people have the natural ability to be good? Hobbes -> no - humans left to their own devices would be horrible; no innate goodness or morality Hobbes wanted to bring order, and a king will bring more order than any democracy ([[MOC - Modern Philosophers#Hobbes vs Locke|Comparison w/ Locke]]) - trade in freedoms for the security of natural society Hobbes was pretty universally despised He identified common symptoms that people recognized... |
1588-1679 | |
| DescartesDescartes Rene Descartes Background Info 1596-1650 educated at Univ of Paris Catholic Christian not an academic wrote Descartes, Meditations of First Philosophy from a [[Rationalism rationalistic]] perspective claims he is making a whole new start in philosophy D. arrived at a certain and evident knowledge of the truth. He wants to see if he can persuade others by the same method that he himself used. ... |
1596-1650 | claims to make a whole new start in philosophy |
| People/Philosophers/Pascal | 1623-1662 | |
| LockeLocke John Locke Locke, Two Treatises of Government [[MOC - Modern Philosophers#Hobbes vs Locke Comparison w/ Hobbes]] Locke, Two Treatises of Government Background Info 1632-1704 Parents were Puritans father was in Parliamentary cavalry, which fought king during English Civil WarEnglish Civil War English Civil War Foundation Reformation on the Continent Luther & his 95 theses assumptions/positions (that were subversive to English monarchy, per Hobbes) Private men are judges of good & evil It is a sin to do something against one's private conscience Man's private conscience may be supernaturally inspired The sovereign may be limited or divided Reformation in England (Anglicanism) ... educated @ Oxford Taught Greek & Hebrew Went to medical school, was a doctor Empirics Read DescartesDescartes Rene Descartes Background Info 1596-1650 educated at Univ of Paris Catholic Christian not an academic wrote Descartes, Meditations of First Philosophy from a [[Rationalism rationalistic]] perspective claims he is making a whole new start in philosophy D. arrived at a certain and evident knowledge of the truth. He wants to see if he can persuade others by the same method that he himself used. ... Had a g... |
1632-1704 | not starting from a model, build a framework by inducting from the senses |
| BerkeleyBerkeley Berkeley Bkgrd Info 1685-1753 bishop in the Irish church Mission to the Americas Epistemology idealist - denied the possibility of inert, mindless, material substance. core idea: for something to exist it has to be perceived by the active being that does the perceiving. "if a tree falls in the forest where no one hears it, does it make a sound?" since everything is in the mind, if it's not perceived it doesn't exist What is the resemb... |
1685-1753 | writing against material science; everything an idea in the mind of God |
| ReidReid Thomas Reid Reid, Inquiry & Essays Bkgrd info (copied fr. Kate) important figure in the Scottish Enlightenment (18th century) Presbyterian Minister age 16, MA from University of Aberdeen age 21, licensed preacher for Church of Scotland age 27, entered Ministry age 54, wrote Inquiry into the Human Mind he was called to the University of Glasgow to replace Adam Smith as Professor of Moral Philosophy Common sense = “The most important use of the term “common sense” in R... |
1710-1796 | common sense philosopher who responded to ideal theory |
| HumeHume David Hume Wrote Hume, Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding Wrote a History of England Bkgrd Info 1711-1776 Scottish studied law at 15, did not like it self-taught in philosophy published "Treatise of Human Understanding" at age 28 thought it would make him a rock star like Newton. received little attention ReidReid Thomas Reid Reid, Inquiry & Essays Bkgrd info (copied fr. Kate) important figure in the Scottish Enlightenment (18th century) Presbyterian Minister age 16, MA from University of Aberdeen age 21, licensed preacher for Church of Scotland age 27, entered Ministry age 54, wrote Inquiry into the Human Mind he was called to the University of Glasgow to replace Adam Smith as Professor of Moral Philosophy Common sense = “The most important use of the term “common sense” in R... & KantKant Kant Wrote Kant, What is Enlightenment? Man's primary problem isn't sin; it's that he doesn't have the freedom to reason & be enlightened (??) Background came from Prussia, wrote under Frederick the Great Kant - a rationalist who wants to confine reason to the bounds of experience reason is bound by the condition of possible experience; cannot reason about unexperienced things so, we can't reason a/b God crating the world because we didn't experience it ... were the only philosophers who took him seriously His Philosophy What was in the air the rationalism and dedu... |
1711-1776 | took ideal theory to its logical conclusion |
| RousseauRousseau Rousseau Wrote [[Rousseau, Social Contract|The Social Contract]] |
1712-1778 | defined social contract theory |
| SmithSmith Adam Smith Wrote Smith, Wealth of Nations (Also wrote Theory of Moral Sentiments (based on HumeHume David Hume Wrote Hume, Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding Wrote a History of England Bkgrd Info 1711-1776 Scottish studied law at 15, did not like it self-taught in philosophy published "Treatise of Human Understanding" at age 28 thought it would make him a rock star like Newton. received little attention ReidReid Thomas Reid Reid, Inquiry & Essays Bkgrd info (copied fr. Kate) important figure in the Scottish Enlightenment (18th century) Presbyterian Minister age 16, MA from University of Aberdeen age 21, licensed preacher for Church of Scotland age 27, entered Ministry age 54, wrote Inquiry into the Human Mind he was called to the University of Glasgow to replace Adam Smith as Professor of Moral Philosophy Common sense = “The most important use of the term “common sense” in R... & KantKant Kant Wrote Kant, What is Enlightenment? Man's primary problem isn't sin; it's that he doesn't have the freedom to reason & be enlightened (??) Background came from Prussia, wrote under Frederick the Great Kant - a rationalist who wants to confine reason to the bounds of experience reason is bound by the condition of possible experience; cannot reason about unexperienced things so, we can't reason a/b God crating the world because we didn't experience it ... were the only philosophers who took him seriously His Philosophy What was in the air the rationalism and dedu...) in 1759) Smith was a moral philosopher Non-Christian, close friend of HumeHume David Hume Wrote Hume, Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding Wrote a History of England Bkgrd Info 1711-1776 Scottish studied law at 15, did not like it self-taught in philosophy published "Treatise of Human Understanding" at age 28 thought it would make him a rock star like Newton. received little attention ReidReid Thomas Reid Reid, Inquiry & Essays Bkgrd info (copied fr. Kate) important figure in the Scottish Enlightenment (18th century) Presbyterian Minister age 16, MA from University of Aberdeen age 21, licensed preacher for Church of Scotland age 27, entered Ministry age 54, wrote Inquiry into the Human Mind he was called to the University of Glasgow to replace Adam Smith as Professor of Moral Philosophy Common sense = “The most important use of the term “common sense” in R... & KantKant Kant Wrote Kant, What is Enlightenment? Man's primary problem isn't sin; it's that he doesn't have the freedom to reason & be enlightened (??) Background came from Prussia, wrote under Frederick the Great Kant - a rationalist who wants to confine reason to the bounds of experience reason is bound by the condition of possible experience; cannot reason about unexperienced things so, we can't reason a/b God crating the world because we didn't experience it ... were the only philosophers who took him seriously His Philosophy What was in the air the rationalism and dedu... "The Smith, Wealth of Nations is a very violent attack upon the whole commercial system of Great Britain." - Smith it was descriptive of England's economics, not prescriptive from the perspective of the wealth of a nation, joint-stock co is not the best model First one to do the science of economics (... |
1723-1790 | |
| KantKant Kant Wrote Kant, What is Enlightenment? Man's primary problem isn't sin; it's that he doesn't have the freedom to reason & be enlightened (??) Background came from Prussia, wrote under Frederick the Great Kant - a rationalist who wants to confine reason to the bounds of experience reason is bound by the condition of possible experience; cannot reason about unexperienced things so, we can't reason a/b God crating the world because we didn't experience it ... |
1724-1804 | |
| BurkeBurke Burke Background tended to be progressive e.g. in favor of Am Rev, Irish independence but still wrote against French Revolution wrote Burke, Reflections on the RevolutionBurke, Reflections on the Revolution Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France Class Notes legitimacy of government not based on divine right (23) not popular election (23) tradition that works? [[Glorious Revolution]] was ok b/c it kept the traditional structures conflicting interests lead to deliberate, moderate change liberty requires context to know if liberty is a good or not e.g. a murderer's liberation from prison i... against it |
1729-1797 | |
| MalthusMalthus Malthus Wrote Malthus, Essay on the Principle of Population ![[Malthus, Essay on the Principle of Population#Summary]] |
1766-1834 | population exploded around 1800; his response |
| HegelHegel Hegel Wrote: [[Hegel, Intro to Philosophy of History|Intro to Philosophy of History]] Notes absolute idealist key member of German IdealismGerman Idealism German Idealism Members Fichte HegelHegel Hegel Wrote: [[Hegel, Intro to Philosophy of History|Intro to Philosophy of History]] Notes absolute idealist key member of [[German Idealism]] student of Fichte & relied on him in his work the great intellect is not personal & is accessible to man b/c man's intellect is an extension of its intellect view of history teleological development - development in a direction ([[Darwin]] takes this and runs w/ it) history recognizes internal contradictions and s... Schelling Spinoza Schleiermacher [[Schopenhauer]] Map of 19th Century Philosophers ![[Map of 19th c. philosophers.png]] Class Notes speculative massive encompassing system everything is idea grew out of trying to complete KantKant Kant Wrote [[Kant, What is Enlightenment?]] Man's primary problem isn't sin; it's that he doesn't have the freedom to reason & be enlightened (??) Background came from Prussia, wrote under Frederick the Great Kant - a rationalist who wants to confine reason to the bounds of experience reason is bound by the condition of possible experience; cannot reason about unexperienced things so, we can't reason a/b God crating the world because we didn't experience it ... (Transcendental Idealism) Kant's epistemology of the phenomena & noumena (the thing in itself); the noumena is unknowable Fichte combines the phenomena & noumena; everything th... student of Fichte & relied on him in his work the great intellect is not personal & is accessible to man b/c man's intellect is an extension of its intellect view of history teleological development - development in a direction ([[Darwin]] takes this and runs w/ it) history recognizes internal contradictions and s... |
1770-1831 | |
| De TocquevilleDe Tocqueville De Tocqueville Wrote [[De Tocqueville, Old Regime & French Rev.|The Old Regime & the French Revolution]] Also wrote Democracy in America & was active in French politics, including being in the French National Assembly Britannica link |
1805-1859 | was involved in French Revolutionary politics |
Timeline of Philosophical Works
| Title | Author | Published |
|---|---|---|
| Freedom of a Christian | LutherLuther Martin Luther Wrote [[Luther, Freedom of a Christian|Freedom of a Christian]] Background trained as lawyer became monk felt very inadequate, so encouraged to study the scriptures by Staupitz S also got him an advanced degree in theology, teacher , Univ of Wittenberg great struggle between Gods righteousness and man's sin. how could a display of god's righteousness be good news? "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed" (Rom 1) "The person who believ... |
1520 |
| Institutes | CalvinCalvin John Calvin Institutes ![[Calvin, Institutes#Summary of excerpt]] |
1536 |
| Novum Organum | BaconBacon Francis Bacon Class Notes Four Idols of False Knowing 1) Idols of the tribe 2) Idols of the cave (your personal bias) 3) Idols of the market 4) Idols of the theater seek truth using [[Reason#Diff types of Reasoning|induction vs deduction]] was against deductive reasoning started a "scientific revolution" inspired from Roger Bacon emphasis on experimentation |
1620 |
| Descartes, Meditations of First Philosophy | DescartesDescartes Rene Descartes Background Info 1596-1650 educated at Univ of Paris Catholic Christian not an academic wrote Descartes, Meditations of First Philosophy from a [[Rationalism rationalistic]] perspective claims he is making a whole new start in philosophy D. arrived at a certain and evident knowledge of the truth. He wants to see if he can persuade others by the same method that he himself used. ... |
1641 |
| Hobbes, Leviathan | HobbesHobbes Thomas Hobbes Wrote Hobbes, Leviathan Do people have the natural ability to be good? Hobbes -> no - humans left to their own devices would be horrible; no innate goodness or morality Hobbes wanted to bring order, and a king will bring more order than any democracy ([[MOC - Modern Philosophers#Hobbes vs Locke|Comparison w/ Locke]]) - trade in freedoms for the security of natural society Hobbes was pretty universally despised He identified common symptoms that people recognized... |
1651 |
| Vacuum Experiments | People/Philosophers/Pascal | 1663 |
| Locke, Two Treatises of Government | LockeLocke John Locke Locke, Two Treatises of Government [[MOC - Modern Philosophers#Hobbes vs Locke Comparison w/ Hobbes]] Locke, Two Treatises of Government Background Info 1632-1704 Parents were Puritans father was in Parliamentary cavalry, which fought king during English Civil WarEnglish Civil War English Civil War Foundation Reformation on the Continent Luther & his 95 theses assumptions/positions (that were subversive to English monarchy, per Hobbes) Private men are judges of good & evil It is a sin to do something against one's private conscience Man's private conscience may be supernaturally inspired The sovereign may be limited or divided Reformation in England (Anglicanism) ... educated @ Oxford Taught Greek & Hebrew Went to medical school, was a doctor Empirics Read DescartesDescartes Rene Descartes Background Info 1596-1650 educated at Univ of Paris Catholic Christian not an academic wrote Descartes, Meditations of First Philosophy from a [[Rationalism rationalistic]] perspective claims he is making a whole new start in philosophy D. arrived at a certain and evident knowledge of the truth. He wants to see if he can persuade others by the same method that he himself used. ... Had a g... |
1690 |
| Hume, Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding | HumeHume David Hume Wrote Hume, Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding Wrote a History of England Bkgrd Info 1711-1776 Scottish studied law at 15, did not like it self-taught in philosophy published "Treatise of Human Understanding" at age 28 thought it would make him a rock star like Newton. received little attention ReidReid Thomas Reid Reid, Inquiry & Essays Bkgrd info (copied fr. Kate) important figure in the Scottish Enlightenment (18th century) Presbyterian Minister age 16, MA from University of Aberdeen age 21, licensed preacher for Church of Scotland age 27, entered Ministry age 54, wrote Inquiry into the Human Mind he was called to the University of Glasgow to replace Adam Smith as Professor of Moral Philosophy Common sense = “The most important use of the term “common sense” in R... & KantKant Kant Wrote Kant, What is Enlightenment? Man's primary problem isn't sin; it's that he doesn't have the freedom to reason & be enlightened (??) Background came from Prussia, wrote under Frederick the Great Kant - a rationalist who wants to confine reason to the bounds of experience reason is bound by the condition of possible experience; cannot reason about unexperienced things so, we can't reason a/b God crating the world because we didn't experience it ... were the only philosophers who took him seriously His Philosophy What was in the air the rationalism and dedu... |
1739 |
| Reid, Inquiry & Essays | ReidReid Thomas Reid Reid, Inquiry & Essays Bkgrd info (copied fr. Kate) important figure in the Scottish Enlightenment (18th century) Presbyterian Minister age 16, MA from University of Aberdeen age 21, licensed preacher for Church of Scotland age 27, entered Ministry age 54, wrote Inquiry into the Human Mind he was called to the University of Glasgow to replace Adam Smith as Professor of Moral Philosophy Common sense = “The most important use of the term “common sense” in R... |
1764 |
| Smith, Wealth of Nations | SmithSmith Adam Smith Wrote Smith, Wealth of Nations (Also wrote Theory of Moral Sentiments (based on HumeHume David Hume Wrote Hume, Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding Wrote a History of England Bkgrd Info 1711-1776 Scottish studied law at 15, did not like it self-taught in philosophy published "Treatise of Human Understanding" at age 28 thought it would make him a rock star like Newton. received little attention ReidReid Thomas Reid Reid, Inquiry & Essays Bkgrd info (copied fr. Kate) important figure in the Scottish Enlightenment (18th century) Presbyterian Minister age 16, MA from University of Aberdeen age 21, licensed preacher for Church of Scotland age 27, entered Ministry age 54, wrote Inquiry into the Human Mind he was called to the University of Glasgow to replace Adam Smith as Professor of Moral Philosophy Common sense = “The most important use of the term “common sense” in R... & KantKant Kant Wrote Kant, What is Enlightenment? Man's primary problem isn't sin; it's that he doesn't have the freedom to reason & be enlightened (??) Background came from Prussia, wrote under Frederick the Great Kant - a rationalist who wants to confine reason to the bounds of experience reason is bound by the condition of possible experience; cannot reason about unexperienced things so, we can't reason a/b God crating the world because we didn't experience it ... were the only philosophers who took him seriously His Philosophy What was in the air the rationalism and dedu...) in 1759) Smith was a moral philosopher Non-Christian, close friend of HumeHume David Hume Wrote Hume, Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding Wrote a History of England Bkgrd Info 1711-1776 Scottish studied law at 15, did not like it self-taught in philosophy published "Treatise of Human Understanding" at age 28 thought it would make him a rock star like Newton. received little attention ReidReid Thomas Reid Reid, Inquiry & Essays Bkgrd info (copied fr. Kate) important figure in the Scottish Enlightenment (18th century) Presbyterian Minister age 16, MA from University of Aberdeen age 21, licensed preacher for Church of Scotland age 27, entered Ministry age 54, wrote Inquiry into the Human Mind he was called to the University of Glasgow to replace Adam Smith as Professor of Moral Philosophy Common sense = “The most important use of the term “common sense” in R... & KantKant Kant Wrote Kant, What is Enlightenment? Man's primary problem isn't sin; it's that he doesn't have the freedom to reason & be enlightened (??) Background came from Prussia, wrote under Frederick the Great Kant - a rationalist who wants to confine reason to the bounds of experience reason is bound by the condition of possible experience; cannot reason about unexperienced things so, we can't reason a/b God crating the world because we didn't experience it ... were the only philosophers who took him seriously His Philosophy What was in the air the rationalism and dedu... "The Smith, Wealth of Nations is a very violent attack upon the whole commercial system of Great Britain." - Smith it was descriptive of England's economics, not prescriptive from the perspective of the wealth of a nation, joint-stock co is not the best model First one to do the science of economics (... |
1776 |
| Malthus, Essay on the Principle of Population | MalthusMalthus Malthus Wrote Malthus, Essay on the Principle of Population ![[Malthus, Essay on the Principle of Population#Summary]] |
1798 |
Rationalists vs Empiricists
Rationalists
- DescartesDescartes
Rene Descartes
Background Info
1596-1650
educated at Univ of Paris
Catholic Christian
not an academic
wrote Descartes, Meditations of First Philosophy from a [[Rationalism
rationalistic]] perspective
claims he is making a whole new start in philosophy
D. arrived at a certain and evident knowledge of the truth. He wants to see if he can persuade others by the same method that he himself used.
...- you can know everything through intellect, not senses
- prove things a/b soul, God
- Spinoza
- few premises
- God is the only substance
- soul + body are not separate
- Leibniz
- everything is made of monads that don't interact w/ each other
- a pre-established harmony simulates cause/effect
- proof for God
- we live in the best of all possible worlds
Empiricsts
Becoming increasingly skeptical
- LockeLocke
John Locke
Locke, Two Treatises of Government
[[MOC - Modern Philosophers#Hobbes vs Locke
Comparison w/ Hobbes]]
Locke, Two Treatises of Government
Background Info
1632-1704
Parents were Puritans
father was in Parliamentary cavalry, which fought king during English Civil WarEnglish Civil War
English Civil War
Foundation
Reformation on the Continent
Luther & his 95 theses
assumptions/positions (that were subversive to English monarchy, per Hobbes)
Private men are judges of good & evil
It is a sin to do something against one's private conscience
Man's private conscience may be supernaturally inspired
The sovereign may be limited or divided
Reformation in England (Anglicanism)
...
educated @ Oxford
Taught Greek & Hebrew
Went to medical school, was a doctor
Empirics
Read DescartesDescartes
Rene Descartes
Background Info
1596-1650
educated at Univ of Paris
Catholic Christian
not an academic
wrote Descartes, Meditations of First Philosophy from a [[Rationalism
rationalistic]] perspective
claims he is making a whole new start in philosophy
D. arrived at a certain and evident knowledge of the truth. He wants to see if he can persuade others by the same method that he himself used.
...
Had a g...- mind = blank slate
- BerkeleyBerkeley
Berkeley
Bkgrd Info
1685-1753
bishop in the Irish church
Mission to the Americas
Epistemology
idealist - denied the possibility of inert, mindless, material substance.
core idea: for something to exist it has to be perceived by the active being that does the perceiving.
"if a tree falls in the forest where no one hears it, does it make a sound?"
since everything is in the mind, if it's not perceived it doesn't exist
What is the resemb...- idealist - only real things are ideas in a mind (mine or Gods)
- HumeHume
David Hume
Wrote Hume, Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
Wrote a History of England
Bkgrd Info
1711-1776
Scottish
studied law at 15, did not like it
self-taught in philosophy
published "Treatise of Human Understanding" at age 28
thought it would make him a rock star like Newton.
received little attention
ReidReid
Thomas Reid
Reid, Inquiry & Essays
Bkgrd info (copied fr. Kate)
important figure in the Scottish Enlightenment (18th century)
Presbyterian Minister
age 16, MA from University of Aberdeen
age 21, licensed preacher for Church of Scotland
age 27, entered Ministry
age 54, wrote Inquiry into the Human Mind
he was called to the University of Glasgow to replace Adam Smith as Professor of Moral Philosophy
Common sense = “The most important use of the term “common sense” in R... & KantKant
Kant
Wrote Kant, What is Enlightenment?
Man's primary problem isn't sin; it's that he doesn't have the freedom to reason & be enlightened (??)
Background
came from Prussia, wrote under Frederick the Great
Kant - a rationalist who wants to confine reason to the bounds of experience
reason is bound by the condition of possible experience; cannot reason about unexperienced things
so, we can't reason a/b God crating the world because we didn't experience it
... were the only philosophers who took him seriously
His Philosophy
What was in the air
the rationalism and dedu...- all ideas from impressions
- causation - habit
Hobbes vs Locke
Regarding gov
- Hobbes in favor of strong central gov
- needs one strong Leviathan to keep all in check
- Locke would be ok with loose confederation
- can use a sprawling society to execute justice
Human nature
- can use a sprawling society to execute justice
- Hobbes
- no morality outside state of nature
- there is no "Natural Law"
- baseline is State of War
- private property: you have a right to anything you want until you enter the social contract
- Locke
- we discover morality through reason
- we are naturally at State of Nature, but can move to State of War
- private property: labor adds to an object to make it yours
Descartes to Hume
- certainty is the golden snitch in the philosophical game of quittage
- in the medieval period, certainty was Aristotle & religious dogma, hammered in
- many thought that Descartes had caught it
- then NewtonNewton
Newton
came up with a limited small number of principles & explained everything with it
he was all the rage at the time of Reid, Hume; everyone wanted to be the new Newton
this is a code block
appeared to have it - is certainty a good criterion for KnowledgeKnowledge
Knowledge
Is certainty a good criterion for knowledge?
[[Descartes]] thought so, but [[Reid]] didn't
Is epistemology an intellectual exercise or a moral one?
the will has an important role in choosing what we believe
[[Augustine]] explores this in his Confessions
?