PHI 283 - Uses and Limits of Reason

3 credit(s)
Early modern philosophers (1500-1750) were heavily influenced by cultural changes in religion, politics, morality, and the emergence of modern science. Nearly all philosophers of the time period emphasize “reason” as the primary mental ability involved in human life (it’s even supposedly what separates us from other animals). This course will focus on the work of philosophers in the early modern period to discuss theories of reason and its role in scientific exploration and the acquisition of knowledge, skepticism about religious belief, the need for freedom and justice, and the role of reason in developing government.

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