Early Modern Philosophy - (Blackwell Readings in the History of Philosophy) by A P Martinich & Fritz Allhoff & Anand Jayprakash Vaidya

Book Synopsis

Part of the Blackwell Readings in the History of Philosophy series, this survey of early modern philosophy focuses on the key texts and philosophers of the period whose beliefs changed the course of western thought.

• Assembles the key texts from the most significant and influential philosophers of the early modern era to provide a thorough introduction to the period.
  
• Features the writings of the major philosophical, scientific, and political thinkers of the time, including Descartes, Hobbes, Leibniz and Spinoza.
  
• Focuses on the development and growth of Rationalism which stressed reason, logic, and experimentation in the pursuit of truth.
  
• Readings are accompanied by expert commentary from the editors, who are leading scholars in the field.

From the Back Cover

Early Modern Philosophy is a complete introduction to the most significant and influential philosophers of the first part of the modern era. Spanning the sixteenth through the early part of the eighteenth century, early modern philosophy marks a critical shift in the ideas that have continued to evolve within contemporary Western thought. This book presents writings of the major philosophical, scientific, and political thinkers of the time, focusing on the development and growth of rationalism which stressed reason, logic, and experimentation in the pursuit of truth, rejecting the scholastic philosophies of the Middle Ages. Part of Blackwell's Readings in the History of Philosophy Series, this survey of early modern philosophy focuses on the key texts and philosophers of the period whose beliefs changed the course of Western thought.

Review Quotes

"Early Modern Philosophy focuses on the rationalist tradition in Western Philosophy from Descartes through Leibniz. Its overall structure, selections, and introductory materials testify to Martinich's skills as a teacher and as a student of the period. Especially striking is its sensitivity to the scientific, religious, and political contexts in which the works were written and read. The introductions are extremely clear and philosophically astute." Michael Morgan, Indiana University

"This is a very useful anthology of early modern texts that offers generous selections from the writings of the rationalists while also including works related to early modern science and political philosophy." Tad M. Schmaltz, Duke University

About the Author

A. P. Martinich is the Roy Allison Vaughan Centennial Professor of Philosophy and Professor of History and Government at the University of Texas at Austin. He is the author or editor of many books, including Hobbes (2005), Philosophical Writing (3rd edn., 2005), and The Philosophy of Language (5th edn., 2007).

Fritz Allhoff is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Western Michigan University. His main areas of research are ethical theory, applied ethics, and the philosophy of biology/science. His work has been published in, among other places, the American Journal of Bioethics, the Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences, the International Journal of Applied Philosophy, and the Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal.

Anand Jayprakash Vaidya is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at San José State University. His research is in metaphysics, epistemology, and philosophy of mind.