LFU:online

Acquaintance with Descartes' epistemology, philosophy of religion and philosophy of mind.

Descartes is known as the 'father of modern philosophy', and his 'Meditations' are among the greatest works in the history of philosophy. We will read the 'Meditations' step by step and discuss Descartes' internalism and foundationalism; how to interpret his radical scepticism, his mind-body dualism, his theory of privileged access, and his ontological proofs for the existence of God.

Seminar with student presentations; reading course.

Two short essays/homework.

René Descartes, Meditationen über die erste Philosophie/Meditationes de prima philosophia, verschiedene Ausgaben, möglichst lat./deutsch.
Schütt, Hans-Peter: Die Adoption des "Vaters der modernen Philosophie - Studien zu einem Gemeinplatz der Ideengeschichte", Frankfurt am Main, 1998.
Curley, E.M.: Descartes Against the Skeptics, Oxford 1978.
Dicker, George: Descartes - An Analytical and Historical Introduction, Oxford, New York 1993.

None.