(Preliminary) SYLLABUS –– EPISTEMOLOGY
Prof. Dr. Cristina Borgoni
Time: Monday 10:00–12:00
Place: GWIIU1U1.09
Language of instruction: English
Office hours: by appointment
Email:
Course description
This seminar is a general course in epistemology, the field of philosophy concerned with questions about knowledge. In this course, you will learn the basic epistemological concepts and will deal with the central debates in the field, e.g., the notion of knowledge, skepticism, structures of justification, the role of perception in the acquisition of knowledge, and testimony.
Level of Difficulty
This course is introductory to the extent that lectures do not presuppose previous knowledge about epistemology. The basic terminology and concepts will be explained and discussed detail. However, this is not an easy course. You will be expected to master difficult original texts, synthesize arguments and think about knowledge in a very abstract level. So, do not hesitate to bring your doubts and questions to lecture and office hours. You are very welcome to do so!
Assessment
Your grade (B4 6ECTS and P6v 5ECTS) will be calculated as follows:
- Mid-term exam: 40%
- Final exam: 40%
- Group presentation: 20%
P5*: group presentation
(Tentative) Schedule
Topic 1: Basic epistemological concepts
(1)09/04: Introduction to the course and organization / Belief
Reading: E. Schwitzgebel, “Belief”, in: The Routledge Companion to Epistemology, chapter 2
(2)16/04: Truth
Reading: Lynch, “Truth”, in: The Routledge Companion to Epistemology, chapter 1
(3)23/04: Justification….and the Gettier Problem
Readings: Fumerton, R. “Theories of Justification” in The Oxford Handbook of Epistemology, chapter 6 (pp. 204-209);
Gettier; E. “Is Justified true belief knowledge?
Zagzebski, L.“What is knowledge?”, in The Blackwell Guide to Epistemology, chapter 3.
Optional readings: Responses to Gettier, chapters 4-6, in: Knowledge; Williamson “Knowledge first epistemology”, in: The Routledge Companion to Epistemology
Topic 2: What makes a belief justified
(4)30/04: Theories of Justification: Internalism, externalism, naturalism
Readings: Hamid Vahid “Externalism/Internalism” The Routledge Companion to Epistemology; Quine, “Epistemology naturalized”, reprinted in Knowledge, chapter 20.
(5)07/05: Structures of Justification: Foundationalism, Coherentism, Infinitism
Readings: Fumerton, R. “Theories of Justification” in The Oxford Handbook of Epistemology, chapter 6, pp. 209-233; Bonjour “the dialectic of foundationalism and cohenrentism” in Epistemology vol. 2, Ram Neta.
Topic 3: Interpersonal factors in the acquisition of knowledge
(6)14/05: Knowers: feminist epistemology
Readings: Tanesini, A. “Feminist Epistemology”, in: The Routledge Companion to Epistemology;
Longino, H. “Feminist Epistemology”, in The Blackwell Guide to Epistemology, chapter 14.
(7)28/05 In class mid-term exam
(8)04/06: Sources of justification, knowledge and truth (1) - Testimony
Readings: Lackey, J. “Testimonial Knowledge”, In: The Routledge Companion to Epistemology; Tyler Burge “Content Preservation”, The Philosophical Review; Fricker, M. “Epistemic Injustice”.
Topic 4: Mind and World
(9)11/06Sources of justification, knowledge and truth (2): Perception
TBA. Authors: Quine, “two dogmas of empiricism, Sellars, J. McDowell, D. Davidson, T. Burge
(10)25/06Sources of justification, knowledge and truth: Reason
TBA. Authors: Quine, “two dogmas of empiricism, Sellars, J. McDowell, D. Davidson, T. Burge
Topic 5: Skepticism
(11)02/07Cartesian Skepticism
Readings: Descartes I Meditation; Moore “Proof of the external world”
(12)09/07 Responses to skepticism
Readings: Wittgenstein, On Certainty (excerpts); Lewis, “Elusive Knowledge”, reprinted in Epistemology vol. 1.
1
Epistemology– Borgoni