Early Modern Reading List
Thursday, May 17, 2007
I’m planning on using one of my exams (Philosophy of Religion) as an excuse to go through and read some of the pre-Kantian modern philosophy that I might not otherwise get around to. I’ve studied Descartes’ Meditations pretty closely and read Spinoza’s Theologico-Political Tractate a couple times, but other than that, I’ve mainly just read frequently anthologized selections. I’d like to read one book per major figure. Here’s the list I’ve come up with so far, with my initial book selection in parentheses when applicable:
- Descartes (Discourse on Method)
- Spinoza (Ethics)
- Locke (Essay on Human Understanding)
- Leibniz
- Hume (Treatise of Human Nature)
I’m not really interested in political philosophy for this purpose, mainly just the trajectory that gets me from Descartes to Kant. Please let me know if I’m missing someone major and give suggestions (particularly on Leibniz) in comments.
Thursday, May 17, 2007 at 8:29 pm
We had to read Leibniz’s Monadology in my undergrad modern phil course. You really should read Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, though (and maybe even Leibniz’s Theodicy). Also, take a look at the SEP article on Kant and Leibniz to see if it inspires you to read something.
Thursday, May 17, 2007 at 11:20 pm
Leibniz — Discourse on Metaphysics
You will want to read some Berkeley as well. Principles of Human Knowledge, perhaps.
Friday, May 18, 2007 at 5:41 am
I know you’re not after political philosophy, but part 1 of Hobbes’s Leviathan, ‘Of Man’, is the classic early modern statement of a materialist philosophical anthropology, with consequences for the understanding of the will, the good, desire and rationality. And with your background, you might be able to make more sense of the theological/political parts 3 and 4 than most analytic philosophers (including me) do.
I second the suggestions of Hume’s Dialogue and Berkeley, although I’d recommend the latter’s Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous.
Friday, May 18, 2007 at 6:19 am
Big bad George Berkeley.
Hobbes - it’s not all politics.
Rousseau, perhaps - a major influence on Kant but maybe too social/political for you.
Friday, May 18, 2007 at 7:13 am
I’d go with Hume’s Enquiries Concerning Human Understanding over the Treatise. It’s much clearer, more fun, and it has the added bonus of being shorter. The Treatise is a mess.
Friday, May 18, 2007 at 12:53 pm
I’d second Hobbes, but rather than the first part of Leviathan, look at his last book, De Corpore.
Hume began writing A Treatise of Human Nature prior to his sixteenth birthday and completed it around his twenty-six birthday. He was about twenty-eight when it was published. He was also more famous during his lifetime as a historian than as a philosopher.
Even though political philosophy isn’t your particular interest, I’d recommend reading Quentin Skinner’s (two volumes) all the same.
You might consider Locke’s empiricist/epistemological writings rather than his political writings.
Friday, May 18, 2007 at 1:44 pm
Read both of Hume’s enquiries; they’re both short. His essays are fun too—Hume is one of the rare philosophers who’s actually a good writer. Berkeley’s Dialogues (mentioned above) are available free online. He’s responding to a Lockean (& Cartesian, too, I guess) epistemology.
Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 4:38 pm
If you want the Metaphysics and Epistemology stuff you’d get in a standard Early Modern Class:
Descartes, Meditations; Spinoza, Ethics;Leibniz, Philosophical Essays (eds. Ariew and Garber, Hackett); Berkeley, Principles; Locke, Essay; Hume, Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
If you want their most important religious writings:
Descartes, Meditations (again, I know, and you’ve read it); Spinoza, Tractatus; Leibniz, Theodicy; Berkeley, Three Dialogues; Locke, The Reasonableness of Christiantity; Hume, Dialogues and Natural History, ed. Gaskin.