Description:
The course will investigate the metaphysics and epistemologies of Locke, Hume and Reid. The investigation will be critical, with an attempt to show relevance to contemporary debates. Issues will include: theories of perception; the nature of justified belief and knowledge; realism and anti-realism; the nature of the self; the nature of empirical objects. Special attention will be paid to empiricist skeptical arguments and Reid's attack on these arguments. A typical pattern is as follows: Hume takes some position that was innocently defended by Locke, and shows that consistent adherence to the position results in skepticism in some important area. Reid rejects the skeptical conclusions of Hume by rejecting the position originally advocated by Locke. The three thinkers are obviously in conversation with each other. But the writings of Locke, Hume and Reid are also relevant to contemporary debates. Specifically, we will look at the influence of these thinkers on recent debates about knowledge, personal identity, freedom and responsibility, and the grounds of religious knowledge.

Primary Readings:
Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature
Reid, An Inquiry into the Human Mind on the Principles of Common Sense
Reid, Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man

Requirement:
A term paper of about twenty pages is due at the end of the semester.