Epistemology Syllabus
Epistemology Syllabus
Epistemology, Spring 2011 Orange Coast College
Philosophy A165, CRN: 30890 Dr. David C. Ring
TR 11:10 a.m. -12:35 p.m. in Social Science 104 e-mail:
OCC office phone: 714 432-5657 Office Hrs: Monday 1:30- 5:30 pm
Office: Social Science 200L by appointment
(2nd floor on left side of OCC bookstore)
REQUIRED READINGS:
[P] What Can We Know?: An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge, 2nd ed. by Louis Pojman
[G] Feeling Pain and Being in Pain, 2nd ed. by Nikola Grahek
[Q] Quia epistemology website:
WEEKDATETOPIC READING SELECTION
1) (1/31) Orientation to the study of epistemology for this course P: Ch. 1, 1-25; Q: (5)
Why study epistemology?
(2/2) Knowledge as justified true belief (JTB) and Gettier problem P: Ch. 5, 80-98; Q: (6-8)
(2)(2/7) Finish critique of JTB theory and Gettier P: Ch. 5, 80-98; Q: (6-8)
(2/9) Rene Descartes’s First Meditation on First PhilosophyP: Ch. 6, pp. 99-114; Q: (9)
3) (2/14)Foundationalism and Descartes’s First Meditation P: Ch. 6, pp. 99-114
(Set 1) Bring five true/false on JTB, Gettier, and the First MeditationQ: (9), (11)
with answers, arguments, and page references
(2/16)Descartes’s Second Meditation and the Incorrigibility ThesisP: Ch. 6, pp. 99-114; Q: (10)
4)(2/21)Finish Descartes’s philosophy and views on incorrigibility
(2/23)QUIZ # 1 on JTB, Gettier, Foundationalism, & Descartes (Bring Scantron for ten T/F questions)
Internalism vs. Externalism in epistemology P: Ch. 8, 134-163; Q: (12-13)
5)(2/28)More on internalism vs. externalism and what we know so far
(3/1)The incorrigibility thesis (ICT)Q: (14-15)
6)(3/6)(Set 2) Five true/false questions over internalism, externalism & ICT
Chalmer’s “Content and Epistemology of Phenomenal Belief”Q: (16)
(3/8)Objections to Incorrigibility by Jack ChambersQ: Chambers reading
7)(3/13)Paul Churchland’s criticisms of the Incorrigibility Thesis (ICT)Q: Churchland reading
(3/15)Finish up objections to ICT
8) (3/20)QUIZ # 2over the incorrigibility thesis
FIRST PAPER DUE: Use topic from first half of the course (Five pages maximum)
Finish discussions and review for Test # 1Q: (19)
(3/22)MIDTERM exam (Test # 1) Bring a Scantron form
Test # 1 is 25 true/false and two essay questions
WEEKDATETOPIC READING SELECTION
9)(3/26)-(4/1)NO CLASS - SPRING BREAK
10)(4/3)Nikola Grahek’s Feeling Pain and Being in PainG: 1-4, 1-50; Q: (17-18)
(4/5)More on Grahek’s Feeling Pain and Being in PainG: 5-6, 51-93;Q: (20)
11) (4/10)Pain asymbolia and the incorrigibility thesisQ: (18)
(4/12)Pain quality and painfulness without painG: Ch. 7, 95-140;Q: (18)
12) (4/17)Finish Grahek’s bookFeeling Pain and Being in Pain
(4/19) (Set 3) Five true/false on pain w/ answers, arguments and page references
David Lewis’s “Mad Pain and Martian Pain”Q: Lewis paper
13) (4/24) Finish David Lewis’s “Mad Pain and Martian Pain”
(4/26)Student micro-seminars on Pain and ICT
(Set 4) Five true/false on Grahek , incorrigibility, and Lewis w/ answers and page references
14) (5/1)Introduction to Meaning and Reference
Gottlob Frege’s “On Sense and Reference” Q: (21-25)
QUIZ # 4 over Grahek, incorrigibility, and LewisQ: A. Kenny on Frege
(5/3) Frege’s Sinn und Bedeutung continuedQ: (21-25)
15)(5/8)2nd PAPER DUE (Five pages max.) on second part of course
Finish Frege’s “On Sense and Reference”
(5/10) “Meaning and Reference” by Hilary Putnam- externalist semanticsQ: (32-33)
(Set 5) Five true/false on Frege and Putnam w/ answers and page references
16) (5/15)More on Putnam’s “Meaning and Reference”
(5/17) Finish Putnam’s “Meaning and Reference”- externalist semantics Q: (32-33)
QUIZ # 5 overFregeand Putnam
17) (5/22)Epistemology Olympics: Students bring five true/false questions over entire course
(5/24) Comprehensive FINAL EXAMINATION: please bring a scantron form and pencil
Be prepared to write two essays and answer 25 true/false questions
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOME for Philosophy A165:
Students will be able to:
Present a critical philosophical analysis of a selected topic in epistemology that articulates and critically evaluates the claims made.
Approximate Grading Scale:
A = 88 and above overall numerical course average at discretion of instructor
B = 78 and above overall numerical course average at discretion of instructor
C = 68 and above overall numerical course average at discretion of instructor
D = 58 and above overall numerical course average at discretion of instructor
F = below 58 numerical average at the discretion of the instructor