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Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding

Vak
2009-2010

Description

We will read the first three books of Locke’s Essay, which deal with metaphysics, philosophy of mind and philosophy of language. Questions that will be raised: Are there any innate ideas, or is there an empirical origin of all our ideas? If all ideas have an empirical origin, as Locke thinks, how do we get such ideas as that of mathematical figures, or of God? And, what are Ideas?

There will also be time to read secondary literature from the recently published Cambridge Companion to Locke’s Essay (ed. Lex Newman). For the second week of the course students have to read the first book (page 43 – 103).

Teaching method

Seminar

Admission requirements

BA degree in Philosophy

Course objectives

Course objectives will be made available on Blackboard at the start of the course.

Required reading

John Locke, An Essay concerning Human Understanding. Ed. P.H. Nidditch, Clarendon Press, Oxford.

Test method

Paper

Time table

See: Timetable MA Philosophy

Information

Dr. M.S. van der Schaar (m.v.d.schaar@phil.leidenuniv.nl

Registration

Please register for this course on U-twist. See registration procedure

Blackboard

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Remarks

Specialisation: Theoretical Philosophy / History of Philosophy