PhiDiP 2/15/2017: Philosophy Within the Classical Limit

This week in PhiDiP we will be discussing philosophy in the context of Newtonian physics. How did the Principia Mathematica influence philosophical thought in the 17th century? What were Newton's own thoughts on philosophy? How did philosophical movements such as rationalism, empiricism, and mechanistic theory arise from the scientific revelations of the time?

Here's some light background reading for your reference:
Science and Enlightenment

...and some not-so-light-but-quite-interesting reading to peruse at your leisure if you would like to learn more about the subject:
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Newton's Philosophy

This discussion will be in anticipation of a three week series on Quantum Mechanics, in which we will examine how 20th century scientific discoveries have influenced modern philosophy.


PhiDiP (Philosophical Discussions in Physics) meets Wednesdays at 2:00 pm and is open to all. While NC 3405 is under construction we have been meeting in Plaza 220-A3, but please note that the location is subject to change in the future.