PHIL 421.001 – Rationalism
Instructor: Alan Nelson. This course meets R 4:00 – 6:30 p.m. in CW 213.
An intensive study of Descartes. We will emphasize metaphysics and epistemology, but will also cover some aspects of his ethics, philosophy of science, logic, and mathematics, and rational theology. We will conclude by examining some later developments in Spinoza, Malebranche, and other post-Cartesian thinkers. Undergraduates will have a take-home midterm and write a 3000 word term paper. Graduate students will write a 6000 word term paper.