An Introduction to French Thought (MLF1105)

15 credits

You’ll be introduced to French thought through four major philosophers: Montaigne, Descartes, Rousseau and Beauvoir. Montaigne's essay on the cannibals of Brazil raises key questions about human nature and society. Descartes’s Discours recounts how he revolutionised Western philosophy. Rousseau's revolutionary work argues that inequality is at the root of human society and unhappiness. The module closes with a questioning of philosophical and other modes of thought from a feminist perspective, in the work of Beauvoir. By studying this module, you'll gain an insight into philosophical works that have changed the course of intellectual and social history.