[At the beginning of the new academic year, a re-visiting of the beginnings of modern philosophy.] I vote for Francis Bacon. . . The standard answer gives the honor to René Descartes. Descartes’s claim to the title is based primarily on his epistemology — specifically his method of doubt. The method of doubt is both […]
The real father of modern philosophy — Bacon versus Descartes Read More »
This week we are starting Descartes’s Meditations in my Introduction to Philosophy course. One of the wonderful things about the Internet is its enabling us easily to see things like Descartes’s original handwriting. Here is a letter he wrote, dated 27 May 1641: The letter is in French and was written to Marin Mersenne about
A stolen Descartes manuscript Read More »
A collection of posts relevant to my courses this semester: Before Philosophy: Homer’s world Why does philosophy begin with Thales? Philosophy begins: Thales’ revolution Socrates’ two bad arguments for not escaping Quotations from Apology and Crito on reason and character Who is the real father of modern philosophy? [Descartes versus Bacon] Education: Locke versus Kant
Past posts for the new semester Read More »