Module #1 Introduction to Rationalism Overview of the course, definition of rationalism, and its significance in the history of philosophy
Module #2 The Roots of Rationalism:Ancient Greek Philosophy Exploration of the contributions of ancient Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle to the development of rationalism
Module #3 The Medieval Period:Scholasticism and the Rise of Rationalism Examination of the role of scholasticism in laying the groundwork for rationalism in the Middle Ages
Module #4 Descartes and the Birth of Modern Rationalism In-depth analysis of René Descartes contributions to rationalism, including his methodological skepticism and the famous statement I think, therefore I am
Module #5 The Rationalist Project:Baruch Spinoza and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Examination of the philosophical systems of Spinoza and Leibniz, two prominent rationalists of the 17th century
Module #6 Rationalism and Epistemology:The Nature of Knowledge Exploration of the rationalist understanding of knowledge, including the concepts of innate ideas, deduction, and a priori knowledge
Module #7 The Role of Reason in Rationalism Analysis of the central role of reason in rationalist philosophy, including the nature of rational inquiry and the limits of human understanding
Module #8 Rationalism and Metaphysics:The Nature of Reality Examination of the rationalist understanding of reality, including the concepts of substance, attribute, and mode
Module #9 The Challenge of Empiricism:David Hume and the Limits of Reason Critical evaluation of the empiricist critique of rationalism, including Humes skeptical challenge to metaphysics and the concept of causation
Module #10 Kant and the Critique of Rationalism In-depth analysis of Immanuel Kants critical philosophy, including his synthesis of rationalism and empiricism and the concept of the noumenon
Module #11 The Legacy of Rationalism:18th and 19th Century Developments Examination of the influence of rationalism on later philosophical movements, including German Idealism and British Empiricism
Module #12 Rationalism and Science:The Rise of Scientific Method Exploration of the relationship between rationalism and the development of scientific method, including the contributions of Francis Bacon and Isaac Newton
Module #13 Rationalism and Ethics:Morality and Moral Knowledge Analysis of the rationalist understanding of morality, including the concept of moral certainty and the role of reason in moral decision-making
Module #14 Rationalism and Politics:The Social Contract and the State Examination of the rationalist understanding of political philosophy, including the concepts of the social contract and the role of the state
Module #15 Contemporary Rationalism:20th and 21st Century Developments Survey of contemporary philosophical movements that continue the rationalist tradition, including analytic philosophy and its critics
Module #16 Rationalism and Cognitive Science:The Nature of the Mind Exploration of the relationship between rationalism and cognitive science, including the concept of the mind as an information-processing system
Module #17 Rationalism and the Challenge of Postmodernism Critical evaluation of the postmodern critique of rationalism, including the challenges of relativism and the rejection of objective truth
Module #18 Rationalism and the Future of Knowledge Reflection on the ongoing relevance of rationalism to contemporary debates about knowledge, truth, and reality
Module #19 Case Study:Rationalism in the Natural Sciences In-depth examination of the role of rationalism in a specific scientific field, such as physics or biology
Module #20 Case Study:Rationalism in the Social Sciences In-depth examination of the role of rationalism in a specific social science, such as economics or sociology
Module #21 Rationalism and the Digital Age Exploration of the implications of rationalism for our understanding of knowledge and reality in the digital age
Module #22 Rationalism and Artificial Intelligence Analysis of the relationship between rationalism and the development of artificial intelligence
Module #23 Rationalism and the Philosophy of Mind Examination of the rationalist understanding of the mind-body problem and the nature of consciousness
Module #24 Rationalism and Free Will Analysis of the rationalist understanding of free will and the implications for moral responsibility
Module #25 Rationalism and the Problem of Evil Examination of the rationalist response to the problem of evil and the existence of suffering in the world
Module #26 Rationalism and the Nature of God Exploration of the rationalist understanding of the nature of God and the implications for theology and philosophy
Module #27 Rationalism and the Ethics of Belief Analysis of the rationalist understanding of the ethics of belief and the implications for religious and philosophical inquiry
Module #28 Rationalism and the Problem of Personal Identity Examination of the rationalist understanding of personal identity and the implications for our understanding of self and consciousness
Module #29 Rationalism and the Nature of Space and Time Exploration of the rationalist understanding of space and time and the implications for our understanding of reality
Module #30 Course Wrap-Up & Conclusion Planning next steps in Rationalism and the Foundations of Knowledge career
