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
A History of Western Philosophy Russell's view that there is a sharp distinction between Leibniz's "popular philosophy" and his "esoteric doctrine". The critic George Steiner, writing in "Heidegger", described "A History of Western Philosophy" as "vulgar", noting that Russell omits any mention of Martin Heidegger. In Jon Stewart's anthology "The Hegel Myths and Legends" (1996), Russell's work is listed as a book that has propagated "myths" about Hegel. Stephen Houlgate writes that Russell's claim that Hegel's doctrine of the state justifies any form of tyranny is ignorant. The philosopher Roger Scruton, writing in "A Short History of Modern Philosophy", described "A History of Western Philosophy"