Western philosophy is part of modern philosophy is disputed. The term "modern philosophy" has multiple usages. For example, Thomas Hobbes is sometimes considered the first modern philosopher because he applied a systematic method to political philosophy. By contrast, René Descartes is often considered the first modern philosopher because he grounded his philosophy in problems of "knowledge", rather than problems of metaphysics. Modern philosophy and especially Enlightenment philosophy is distinguished by its increasing independence from traditional authorities such as the Church, academia, and Aristotelianism; a new focus on the foundations of knowledge and metaphysical system-building; and the emergence of modern physics out of
Michael Palmer (philosopher) Atheist's Creed", "The Atheist's Primer" has just been published by The Lutterworth Press (2012). Another volume on atheism - "Atheism for Beginners" - is projected for 2013. Dr Palmer is married with two grown-up children, and lives in Scotland and Italy. Michael Palmer (philosopher) Michael Palmer (born 1945) is an English philosopher, whose work has been translated into many languages. His primary field of interest is The Philosophy of Religion. More recently, however, his work has concentrated on the philosophy of atheism, culminating in his authorship of "The Atheist's Creed" (2010), "The Atheist's Primer" (2012) and the projected "Atheism for