SP19 PHIL414/514

British Empiricism (PHIL414/514)
Professor: Marie Jayasekera
TuTh  ·  9:30am–10:45am  ·  LA5–355

This course aims to illuminate not only the commonalities but also the significant differences in the approaches and views of the main representatives of the tradition labeled ‘British Empiricism’: John Locke, George Berkeley, and David Hume. Thus, in addition to seeing how they understand the view that sense experience is the ultimate source of our concepts and knowledge, we will explore the differences in their aims and projects as well as their positions on various metaphysical and moral issues. The latter will include some of the following topics: the nature of the human mind, personal identity, divine and human agency, causation, arguments for and against the existence of God, and the foundations of morality.