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
William Seager (philosopher) William Seager (philosopher) William Edward Seager (born April 11, 1952 in Edmonton, Alberta) is a Canadian philosopher. He is a Professor of philosophy at the University of Toronto, Scarborough. His academic specialties of the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of science He received his B.A. in 1973 from the University of Alberta. his M.A. in 1976 from the same university and his Ph.D in 1981 from the University of Toronto under the direction of R. B. DeSousa with a thesis on "Materialism and the Foundations of Representation" He has been Associate Editor of "Canadian Journal of Philosophy" from 2003