Early modern natural philosophy - Einzelansicht

In the early modern age, there was no strict separation between science and philosophy, and the study of nature generally took place under the heading of natural philosophy. In this seminar, we will discuss texts by some of the major philosophers of the seventeenth and eighteenth century, with a focus on their writings concerning the natural world. Themes include atomism, mind and matter, astronomy, the development of scientific methods and the nature and limits of human knowledge. An understanding of this period is crucial both for understanding the development of western philosophy and for the history of science. The seminar will focus on Descartes and Leibniz, with additional texts by among others Galileo, Bacon, Boyle, and Newton.

The seminar will be in English.