PHIL 3222

Early Modern Philosophy

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2025-2026 Catalog.

This course is a survey of European philosophy of the early modern period (17th – 18th Century). This period witnessed a burgeoning of diverse philosophical views on the major issues in metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy. These views shaped contemporary philosophy and continue to profoundly influence modern society and culture. This course surveys the influential philosophers of this period including Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Hume, and Kant, whose selected works cover the following six major topics: (a) knowledge, justification, and skepticism, (b) the metaphysics of the physical world, (c) the nature of mind and consciousness, (d) free will and moral responsibility, (e) the ground for political obligation and the structure of government, and (f) the rational basis of morality.

Prerequisites at least one prior course in philosophy, or permission of instructor.

Distribution Requirements (HA-AG, KCM-AG), (ETM-AS, HST-AS)

Last 4 Terms Offered 2025FA, 2024SP, 2021FA, 2020FA

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