Western Philosophy and the Advent of Modern Science
1. On the Idea of Method: Discussion of idea of method - Descartes` Rules for the Direction of our Native Intelligence; Bacon`s The New Organon, Mary Astell’s A Serious Proposal to the Ladies, and Locke`s An Essay Concerning Human Understanding.
2. The Rise of the Individual: Discussion of the emergence of the concept ofindividuality - Descartes` Meditations on First Philosophy, Leibniz`s Monadology, Ann Conway`s The Principles of the Most Modern and Ancient Philosophy, and Spinoza`s Ethics.
3. Rights and Liberties: Discussion of the modern concept of right and liberty in contrast to the ancient medieval understanding of the same ideas - Hobbes` Leviathan, Locke`s Two Treatises on Government, Mary Wollstonecraft`s A Vindication of the Rights of Women and Rousseau`s Discourse onInequality.
4. Critical Voices: Discussion of the important critiques of the above modern notions through selections from Mary Wollstonecraft`s Thoughts on the Education of Daughters: With Reflections on Female Conduct and the published correspondence between Princess Elisabeth of Bohemia and ReneDescartes
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