Modern Philosophy
Code: 100310Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Philosophy | OB | 2 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Alejandro Mumbrú Mora
- Email :
- alejandro.mumbru@uab.cat
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
None.
Objectives
The course Early Modern Philosophy aims to introduce students to the main epistemological, metaphysical, and philosophical-religious problems that shaped European thought during the 17th and early 18th centuries. This period is characterized by the gradual consolidation of a new conception of rationality that profoundly transformed the understanding of knowledge, nature, and the place of human beings in the world.
Through the study of René Descartes, the course examines the origins of the foundational project of Early Modern Philosophy, centered on the search for a secure criterion of certainty and the rational justification of knowledge. Students will explore issues such as the nature of ideas, the relationship between mind and body, the problem of skepticism, and the role of God as the guarantor of truth and of the rational order of the world.
The course also addresses the reception of Cartesian philosophy. In this context, the metaphysical systems of Spinoza and Leibniz are examined, with particular attention to their conceptions of substance, causality, freedom, and the relationship between God and nature. The course further provides a general introduction to those philosophical currents that reconsider the origin, scope, and limits of human knowledge on the basis of sensory experience (Locke, Berkeley and Hume). The study of Margaret Cavendish contributes to a broader understanding of critical alternatives to the dominant philosophical models of the period.
Overall, the course provides students with the conceptual tools required to critically analyze the major questions concerning the nature and limits of knowledge, the structure of reality, and the philosophical significance of the idea of God in modern thought.
Learning outcomes
- CM10 (Apply historical philosophical perspectives to the analysis of current problems, valuing the historicity of human thought.) Apply historical philosophical perspectives to the analysis of current problems, valuing the historicity of human thought.
- CM11 (Develop a comprehensive and critical understanding of the Western philosophical legacy, recognising its relevance for contemporary thought in order to address the omissions that have conditioned the configuration of its canon and to assert historically marginalised contributions.) Develop a comprehensive and critical understanding of the Western philosophical legacy, recognising its relevance for contemporary thought in order to address the omissions that have conditioned the configuration of its canon and to assert historically marginalised contributions.
- CM12 (Develop a project related to the philosophical tradition that encourages reflective positioning, rational dialogue and a critical attitude.) Develop a project related to the philosophical tradition that encourages reflective positioning, rational dialogue and a critical attitude.
- KM11 (Explain the main philosophical systems, currents, authors and problems developed from ancient philosophy to the nineteenth century.) Explain the main philosophical systems, currents, authors and problems developed from ancient philosophy to the nineteenth century.
- KM12 (Identify the fundamental concepts of philosophical thought in a specific period, such as arché, substance, reason, faith, freedom, enlightenment, spirit, among others.) Identify the fundamental concepts of philosophical thought in a specific period, such as arché, substance, reason, faith, freedom, enlightenment, spirit, among others.
- KM13 (Identify the continuities and ruptures between the different stages of the historical development of Western philosophy by virtue of the conceptual elaboration that characterises them and the references between the texts worked.) Identify the continuities and ruptures between the different stages of the historical development of Western philosophy by virtue of the conceptual elaboration that characterises them and the references between the texts worked.
- KM44 (Use basic historiographical criteria to place philosophical doctrines in their corresponding social, scientific or religious context.) Use basic historiographical criteria to place philosophical doctrines in their corresponding social, scientific or religious context.
- SM11 (Relate philosophical ideas to other knowledge and cultural expressions of their time (science, art, religion, politics).) Relate philosophical ideas to other knowledge and cultural expressions of their time (science, art, religion, politics).
- SM12 (Analyse primary philosophical texts from different periods with critical and interpretative rigour.) Analyse primary philosophical texts from different periods with critical and interpretative rigour.
- SM13 (Contrast different philosophical positions, identifying their foundations, internal tensions and historical projections.) Contrast different philosophical positions, identifying their foundations, internal tensions and historical projections.
Contents
1. General remarks on Early Modern Philosophy
2. Descartes
3. The XVIIth century and the reception of Cartesian philosophy
4. Spinoza and Leibniz
5. Margaret Cavendish
6. Empiricism in Historical and Philosophical Perspective
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervised Individual Assignments | 30 | 1.2 | |
| Classroom sessions | 50 | 2 | |
| Autonomous individual work | 50 | 2 |
The teaching methodology combines the systematic presentation of course content by the lecturer with a participatory approach aimed at the analysis and critical discussion of the philosophical problems studied. Classroom sessions alternate theoretical explanations with opportunities for questions, comments, and debate, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of key concepts and encouraging students’ independent reflection.
Students’ individual work is based on the materials provided in class as well as the recommended primary and secondary bibliography, which enables them to explore in greater depth the authors, texts, and debates addressed throughout the course. Particular emphasis is placed on the direct reading of philosophical sources and on the development of interpretative and argumentative skills.
The course also includes personalized academic support through individual and group tutorials, where students may discuss questions, receive guidance on their studies, obtain additional bibliographical recommendations, and further explore specific topics of particular relevance to their academic interests and intellectual development.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment | 25% | 6 | 0.24 | CM10, CM11, CM12, KM11, KM12, KM13, KM44, SM11, SM12, SM13 |
| Final exam | 45% | 8 | 0.32 | CM10, CM11, CM12, KM11, KM12, KM13, KM44, SM11, SM12, SM13 |
| Partial Exam | 30% | 6 | 0.24 | CM10, CM11, CM12, KM11, KM12, KM13, KM44, SM11, SM12, SM13 |
CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT
Assessment for this course consists of one assignment (25%), a midterm examination (30%), and a final examination (45%). The format of the assignment and the examination dates will be announced through the Virtual Campus at the beginning of the semester.
Assignments submitted after the established deadline will not be accepted. Any indication of plagiarism will result in a grade of 0 for the assignment concerned.
To be eligible for the resit examination, students must have completed at least two-thirds of the assessment activities. In addition, students must have obtained a minimum average grade of 3.5 in the course. The resit examination will cover all course content. Students who have not participated in more than one-third of the assessment activities will receive a grade of “Not Assessed”.
SINGLE ASSESSMENT
Assessment consists of one assignment (30%) and two written examinations (45% + 25%). The format of the assignment and the examination date will be announced at the beginning of the semester.
Assignments submitted after the established deadline will not be accepted. Any indication of plagiarism will result in a grade of 0 for the assignment concerned.
Students opting for the single assessment system must complete the required assignment in order to be eligible for the resit examination.
The review of final grades will follow the same procedure as that established for continuous assessment.
The same “Not Assessed” criteria will apply as in continuous assessment.
The same resit procedures will apply as in continuous assessment.
OBSERVATIONS
At the time of each assessment activity, the lecturer will inform students (via Moodle) of the procedure and the date for reviewing grades.
Any irregularity committed by a student that may significantly affect the grade of an assessment activity will result in a grade of 0 for that activity, regardless of any disciplinary proceedings that may be initiated. If several irregularities occur in the assessment activities of the same course, the final grade for the course will be 0.
In situations where, in accordance with Article 264 of the Academic Regulations and the supporting documentation provided, assessment activities scheduled for the first assessment period must be rescheduled, they will take place on the same day as the assessment activity corresponding to the second assessment period or, where appropriate, during the resit period.
If the incident affects an assessment activity scheduled for the second assessment period, the activity will be rescheduled for the date established for the resit examination, without affecting the resit process established for the course.
In all cases, and depending on the specific circumstances, the Degree Coordination Office, in agreement with the Course Coordinator, may determine an alternative date if deemed appropriate.
Exchange students wishing to sit an examination earlier than scheduled must provide the lecturer with an official document from their home university justifying the request.
USE OF AI
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is not permitted at any stage of this course. Any work containing AI-generated content will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in a partial or total reduction of the grade for the assignment concerned, or in more severe sanctions in cases of serious misconduct.
Bibliography
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Primary Sources:
BERKELEY, George, Tratado sobre los principios del conocimiento humano, trad. C. Mellizo, Alianza editorial, Madrid, 1992.
--- : Tres diálogos entre Hilas y Filonús, trad. G. L. Sastre, Espasa Calpe, Madrid, 1996.
CAVENDISH, Margaret, Philosophical Letters, or Modest Reflections Upon some Opinions in Natural Philosophy, 1664 (disponible en línia)
DESCARTES, René, Regles per a la direcció de l’enginy, trad. Salvi Turró, Barcelona, Edicions 62, 1998.
--- : Discurs del mètode, trad. Pere Lluís Font, Barcelona, Edicions 62, 1996.
---: Meditacions metafísiques, trad. Miquel Costa, Barcelona, Edicions 62, 2008.
--- : Libertad y generosidad. Textos morales, trad. i ed. Salvi Turró, ed. Proteus, 2010.
HOBBES, Thomas, Leviatan. O la matèria, forma i poder d’una república eclesiàstica i civil, trad. i ed. Josep Monserrat i Roger Castellanos, Barcelona, ed. Universitat de Barcelona, 2026.
HUME, David, Investigación sobre el entendimiento humano, ed. bilingüe, trad. V. Sanfélix y C. Ors, Madrid, ed. Istmo, 2004.
KANT, Immanuel, Crítica de la raó pura, trad. Miquel Montserrat i Salvi Turró, Barcelona, ed. Universitat de Barcelona, 2026.
LEIBNIZ, Gottfried Wilhelm, Meditaciones sobre el conocimiento, la verdad y las ideas, trad. Miguel Candel Sanmartín (versión hipertexto en http://www.ub.es/telemac)
--- : Discurs de metafísica; Monadologia, trad. JosepOlesti, Barcelona, Marbot ed., 2018.
--- : Nous assaigs sobre l'enteniment humà, trad. Josep Olesti, Barcelona, ed. 62, 1997.
LOCKE, John, Ensayo sobre elentendimiento humano, trad. Edmundo O’Gorman, FCE, México, 1999.
SPINOZA, Baruch, Tratado de la reforma del entendimiento, trad. Atilano Domínguez, Madrid, Alianza, 1988.
--- : Ètica demostrada segons l’ordre geomètric, trad. J. Olesti, Marbot ed., Barcelona, 2013.
Secondary Sources:
AA.VV., Estudis cartesians, Societat Catalana de Filosofia, Barcelonesa d’Edicions, Barcelona, 1996.
AYER, Alfred J., Hume, Madrid, Alianza Editorial, 1980.
BELAVAL, Yvon (dir.), Historia de la filosofía, Siglo XXI, Madrid, 1974. Vol. 6: Racionalismo, empirismo e Ilustración.
CASSIRER, Ernst, El problema del conocimiento en la filosofía y en la ciencia modernas, México, FCE, 1979 (vol. I y II).
COTTINGHAM, John (ed.), The Cambridge companion to Descartes. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1992 (disponible en línia)
DELEUZE, Gilles, Empirismo y subjetividad, ed. Gedisa, 1981.
DUQUE, Félix, Historia de la Filosofía moderna: la era de la crítica, ed. Akal, 1998.
DUSSEL, Enrique, 1492. El encubrimiento del otro. Hacia el origen del “mito de la modernidad”, Plural editores, La Paz, 1994.
--- : El primer debate filosófico de la Modernidad, Clacso, 2020.
FOUCAULT, Michel, Las palabras y las cosas. Una arqueología de las ciencias humanas, ed. Siglo XXI, 1968.
GARRET, Don (ed.), The Cambridge companion to Spinoza. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press,1996 (disponible en línia).
HAZARD, Paul, La crisis de la conciencia europea, Madrid, Alianza, 1983.
--- : El pensamiento europeo en el siglo XVIII, Madrid, Alianza, 1985.
HEIDEGGER, Martin, “La era de la técnica” i “La época de la imagen del mundo” (Die Zeit des Weltbildes) en Caminos del bosque (Holzwege), trad. Helena Cortés y Arturo Leyte, Madrid, Alianza, 1995.
JOLLEY, Nicholas (ed.), The Cambridge companion to Leibniz. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1995 (disponible en línia).
MARTÍNEZ MARZOA, Felipe, Historia de la filosofía, Madrid, ed. Istmo,1973 y 1994, (vol. II).
--- : Cálculo y ser (Aproximación a Leibniz), Madrid, Visor, 1991.
MILLS, Charles W., The Racial Contract, Cornell University Press, 1997.
MORRIS, Charles, Locke, Berkeley y Hume, Oxford University Press, 1987.
TURRÓ, Salvi, Descartes. Del hermetismo a la nueva ciencia, Barcelona, ed. Anthropos, 1987.
--- : Filosofia i Modernitat. La reconstrucció de l’ordre del món, Barcelona, Edicions de la Universitat de Barcelona, 2016.
WALTERS, Lisa i SIEGFRIED, Brandie R., Margaret Cavendish: An Interdisciplinary Perspective, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2022 (disponible en línia).
Internet Resources:
- https://loliba.cat/
- http://www.philosophica.info/
-http://frank.mtsu.edu/~rbombard/RB/spinoza.new.html (Studia Spinoziana)
Software
None
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TE) Theory | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |