The seventeenth century saw many major intellectual and scientific developments, not to mention the birth of modern Western philosophy. The work of some of the most influential thinkers in the whole history of philosophy was written and published during this critical period, including such key philosophers as Hobbes, Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley and Hume. Seventeenth Century Philosophy: An Introduction provides a comprehensive survey of this important period in the history of philosophy. Pauline Phemister provides a thorough historical overview of the key thinkers and ideas that characterised the period and explores in detail the development of key concepts including self, nature, scepticism, language, freedom and God. In particular the book considers the tension between science and religion that characterised this period. Ideal for undergraduate students, this concise and accessible book provides a comprehensive guide to a fascinating period in the history of philosophy. >