Early Modern Skepticism (7,5 hp)

This course will look at the most important contributions to skepticism from the early modern period. It covers the period from the new translation and printing of Sextus Empiricus’ Outlines in 1562 to the anti-skeptical arguments of Thomas Reid and Immanuel Kant in the late eighteenth century. It will introduce the main elements of the relevant Ancient and Medieval background to the early modern debate and then cover the main skeptical arguments from that time. Philosophers covered include Montaigne, Descartes, Bayle, Berkeley, Hume, Reid and Kant.

Teacher: Henrik Lagerlund

Course dates: October 30 – December 18

Time and location: Course schedule autumn 2018

Literature:

Richard Popkin, The History of Scepticism from Savonarola to Bayle, Oxford University Press 2003. ISBN: 0195107683
Pierre Bayle, Historical and Critical Dictionary, Selections, Richard H. Popkin (ed) (Indianapolis: Hackett, 1991) ISBN 0-87220-103-1
George Berkeley, Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous, Dale Jacquette (ed) (Peterborough: Broadview, 2013) ISBN 978-1-55111-988-5
David Hume, Essays and Treatises on Philosophical Subjects, Lorne Falkenstein and Neil McArthur (ed) (Peterborough: Broadview, 2013) ISBN 978-1-55111-804-8
Thomas Reid, Inquiry and Essays, Hackett. ISBN: 0915145855