Philosophy 2201: Epistemology Langara College Department of Philosophy Spring 2015 Section 001 TR 12.30 – 14.20, B030 =================================================================================
Instructor
Richard Johns
Office
A118m
Office Hours
Mon 10.30 – 11.30, Tues 3 – 4, Weds 9.30 – 11, or by appointment.
Telephone
(604) 323-5830
Email
[email protected]
Web Site
http://iweb.langara.bc.ca/rjohns
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Description This course is an introduction to epistemology, the study of knowledge. The question “What is knowledge?” seems very easy to answer – until you try. We humans apparently know an enormous amount about the world these days, about the chemical composition of other planets, the structure of the atom, evolutionary history, etc., but our understanding of human knowledge itself is still a work in progress. The good news is that there’s been a lot of activity in the field over the past few centuries, and especially the past few decades, so that there is hope of a consensus emerging soon. Some questions we will address are: How is knowledge to be defined? Does knowledge have to be certain, or is there such a thing as probable knowledge? Can you know something without knowing that you know it? Is scientific knowledge any different for ordinary knowledge? Does knowledge require a foundation of certainty? Can human knowledge be understood scientifically, as a feature of one kind of animal, or is there something “non-natural” about it that resists such an understanding?
Text: Jennifer Nagel, Knowledge: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press, 2014. Other readings (those not designated ‘KVSI’ in the schedule) will be posted to Langara iweb (http://iweb.langara.bc.ca/rjohns) for free download.
Evaluation: Two Essays (1,200 words each) (2 20% = 40%) Two essay outlines (2 5% = 10%) Best ten (of eleven) reading quizzes (10 2% = 20%) Final Exam. (30%)
Hand in your Essays during class, on each Thursday indicated on the schedule. Nine days before each essay is due, you must hand in an outline of your (planned) essay, that includes your thesis and other basic details. The reading quizzes will always take place at the start of class on Tuesday. Three questions about readings for the coming week will be provided ahead of time. During the (10 minute) quiz you will answer one of these questions, selected randomly.
Academic Standards Instances of cheating, plagiarism, and other types of academic misconduct will be dealt with severely and will be reported to College authorities. See the Langara College Plagiarism Policy at: http://www.langara.bc.ca/registration-and-records/policies-andprocedures/plagiarism.html For more advice on avoiding plagiarism, see http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/plagiarism
A note on office hours and use of email The course instructor will hold office hours at the times listed on the previous page. You are encouraged to attend these if you either have a difficulty related to the course, or are especially interested in some topic and want to know more. The instructor has set aside this time, and is very happy to interact with students. The instructor’s email address is also listed. Students may use email to ask questions of the instructor, when this is more efficient than attending an office hour. In many cases, use of email is highly convenient to both the student and the instructor. Students should use only email the instructor when necessary, however. Always first check the course outline, and Course Tools, to see if it has the information you need, and consider asking a class mate for help.
For questions regarding transfer and articulation, please go to the BC Transfer Guide, .
2
Schedule Jan.
Feb.
6, 8
Introduction. Perception, belief and truth.
Perception and Belief, KVSI Ch. 1. Russell.
13, 15
Q. Phenomenalism, realism.
Dancy.
20, 22
Q. Scepticism and relativism.
KVSI Ch. 2, Sextus Empiricus, Allen Wood.
27, 29
Q. Foundationalism, coherentism.
Lehrer, Alston.
3, 5
Q. Empiricism and Rationalism
KVSI Ch. 3. Descartes, Locke.
9 – 14
*** Spring Break ***
17, 19
Q. Idealism
Berkeley, Kant.
Feb. 17: Essay #2 Outline 24, 26
Q. Science and Induction
Hume, Skyrms.
Feb. 26: Essay #2 March
3, 5
Q. Gettier and responses
KVSI Ch. 4, Gettier, Goldman.
10, 12
Q. Internalism, externalism
KVSI Ch. 5, Sober, Plantinga.
17, 19
Q. Testimony and authority
KVSI Ch. 6
March 17: Essay #2 Outline 24, 26
Q. Shifting standards
KVSI Ch. 7
March 26: Essay #2 April
31, 2
Q. Naturalised epistemology
7
Review
KVSI Ch. 8, Quine, Kim.
‘KVSI’ refers to Jennifer Nagel’s book, Knowledge: A Very Short Introduction. The other readings will be posted to my teaching page, http://iweb.langara.bc.ca/rjohns/