Early Modern Philosophy

"Early Modern Philosophy" is a complete introduction to the most significant and influential philosophers of the first part of the modern era. Spanning the 16th through the early part of the 18th century, early modern philosophy marks a critical shift in the ideas that have continued to evolve within contemporary western thought. This book examines 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 philosopher's of the period whose beliefs changed the course of western thought.