History of Philosophy II

Today we started by finishing some things with David Hume, including the Distinguishable is Separable Principle which seems well explained here. (At least if that page works.) We also talked about the problem of the persistent self (and the quiz question for today was how do you know you have a persistent self?) I referred to Thomas Metzinger on this issue since it is a very current issue for those in neuroscience. We then moved on to talk about Rousseau - by talking first about Voltaire. (Note too that Rousseau spent about 18 months with Hume when Rousseau was having trouble in France.) In regard to the relationship Rousseau had with Voltaire I argue that they were not enemies from what I have seen so far but that their letters to one another show respect and mutual love of irony. I have also heard but can't figure out from where, that Voltaire gave the young Rousseau advice on how to become popular: write exactly the opposite of what everyone thinks. Which Rousseau then did to great effect. Emile basically argues that the best education is no education (student centeredness) The Social Contract argues that everyone should be free and good government is only possible when everyone agrees to what government does. (I mentioned here something probably rather odd and that is Nash Equilibrium as one possibility of something like Rousseau's idea that could work.) I also mentioned in response to Voltaire's critique of Leibniz Best of All Possible Worlds in his work Candide was based on a misunderstanding. Rather, I interpret Leibniz to be making basically the same point as Brian Greene here. I also pointed out a wonderful Americanized version of Candide by Bernstein. Last, in preparation for reading Kant I went over why the Prolegomena is usually what students read instead of the Critique of Pure Reason. Has Kant answered Hume? That will be where we pick up next class.