6. Paris
Tom Sorell
in Descartes: A Very Short Introduction
‘Paris’ describes the period 1626–8 when Descartes was resident there. He must have been aware of the controversies concerning atheism and scepticism that were rife in the city, but ...
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6. Scepticism about libertarian freedom
Thomas Pink
in Free Will: A Very Short Introduction
‘Scepticism about libertarian freedom’ explores libertarian freedom. Self-determination appears to take the form of freedom, but is freedom possible? Libertarianism says that when free ...
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8. Freedom and its place in nature
Thomas Pink
in Free Will: A Very Short Introduction
‘Freedom and its place in nature’ assesses the randomness problem. According to scepticism, there is no middle ground between predeterminism and uncontrollable randomness. Libertarianism ...
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3. German Idealism
Andrew Bowie
in German Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction
How does nature in itself relate to human freedom? ‘German Idealism’ examines how Kant sought to sustain the idea of self-determination by locating freedom in a domain which was not subject ...
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4. Isn’t all perception and understanding relative?
Stephen Gaukroger
in Objectivity: A Very Short Introduction
‘Isn't all perception and understanding relative?’ explores the connections between observation and perception. The philosopher Aenesidemus thought perception was always relative to the ...
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2. Scepticism
Jennifer Nagel
in Knowledge: A Very Short Introduction
When you start to get self-conscious about what you know, even the simplest fact, something you usually think you could verify at a glance, can start to seem like something you don’t really ...
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2. Hobbes's work
Richard Tuck
in Hobbes: A Very Short Introduction
Hobbes began his philosophical enquiries from interest in the philosophical problems raised by modern natural science, and the idea of replacing late Renaissance scepticism with a ...
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2. Aims and Methods
A. J. Ayer
in Hume: A Very Short Introduction
Hume aimed to continue the empirical enquiry begun by Locke to criticise trust in reason and question the nature of causality. ‘Aims and Methods’ discusses Hume's attempts to create a ...
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4. Scepticism as a way of life
Duncan Pritchard
in Scepticism: A Very Short Introduction
‘Scepticism as a way of life’ considers the case for a moderate scepticism, by looking at the work of the philosopher Aristotle (384–322 bce). This idea concerns the role of the virtues, ...
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Scepticism: A Very Short Introduction
Duncan Pritchard
Throughout history, scepticism and the urge to question accepted truths has been a powerful force for change and growth. A healthy amount of scepticism is widely encouraged, but when is ...
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1. What is scepticism?
Duncan Pritchard
in Scepticism: A Very Short Introduction
Scepticism concerns doubt, primarily doubt about what is true. So construed, the sceptic is not proposing that truth is just subjective opinion in the way that the relativist is. Indeed, ...
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12. Doubt without Scepticism?
Tom Sorell
in Descartes: A Very Short Introduction
The view that enabled Descartes to criticize sense-based beliefs, whilst holding that human beings are capable of physical science, is sometimes called rationalism. Descartes believed human ...
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7. Some more high spots: A personal selection
Edward Craig
in Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction
A selection of the best of philosophical thinking is always going to be personal. ‘Some more high points’ presents a list of favourite moments in philosophical thinking: Descartes' ...
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4. Reason, knowledge and scepticism
Julia Annas
in Ancient Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction
In modern epistemology, certain assumptions about knowledge are common, such as the view that the existence of knowledge must be justified against the sceptic. How does this differ from ...
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4. Conclusion
Richard Tuck
in Hobbes: A Very Short Introduction
Hobbes's reputation was paradoxical. He was hostile to dogmatism of every kind, yet he was seen as a brusque dogmatist. He was hostile to the intellectual authorities of the churches, but ...
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3. Defending knowledge
Duncan Pritchard
in Scepticism: A Very Short Introduction
‘Defending knowledge’ considers some of the different philosophical responses to the problem of radical scepticism. It begins with the natural response to a philosophical puzzle: to insist ...
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2. Is knowledge impossible?
Duncan Pritchard
in Scepticism: A Very Short Introduction
‘Is knowledge impossible?’ considers an influential argument that purports to show that we do not know much of what we take ourselves to know. If this argument works, then it licenses a ...
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2. Regularity: causation without connection?
Stephen Mumford and Rani Lill Anjum
in Causation: A Very Short Introduction
A regularity is where one kind of thing is associated with or followed by another kind of thing. ‘Regularity: causation without connection?’ shows that types of events, actions, or states ...
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6. Herodotus and the divine
Jennifer T. Roberts
in Herodotus: A Very Short Introduction
‘Herodotus and the divine’ explains how much of The Histories turns on the importance of digesting and analysing oracular pronouncements with humility and caution. Herodotus uses the way ...
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Hobbes: A Very Short Introduction
Richard Tuck
Hobbes's reputation was paradoxical. He was hostile to dogmatism of every kind, yet he was seen as a brusque dogmatist. He was hostile to the intellectual authorities of the churches, but ...
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