Philosophy of Space and Time

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This course examines philosophical questions about the nature of space and time. The first part traces the development of Western thought on the subject from the Presocratics and Aristotle through Newton, Leibniz, Kant, Mach, and Einstein, and takes up related contemporary metaphysical debates. The second part considers the relation between space, time and the mind. The third part examines the significance of space and time for human existence, drawing on Bergson, Heidegger, and some contemporary authors. No previous knowledge of physics is required.