Course:PHIL240/2011WT1-section2/syllabus

Syllabus (this is preliminary and may change)

Aims of the course: To explain the motivations behind ideas about knowledge and justified belief that have been important in the history of philosophy and how these ideas have changed in the past decades. It is important also to consider ideas about evidence that play a big role in modern life but which epistemology has not paid a lot of attention to. I want students in the course to develop their own opinions on all these things, so active participation is essential.

Schedule of topics: - the basic concepts: knowledge, justification, reasons for belief, evidence - evidence, reasons, skepticism - theories of perception - induction and the inference to the best explanation - apriori beliefs - the concept of knowledge - externalism

requirements and grading: Each student will do a written report on some article or book chapter from the reading list, a draft of the term paper, and a final version of the term paper. I expect every student to take part in class discussions. There will also be a weekly 'forum', a discussion of the week's reading in anticipation of the class. This will take place on the course wiki.

The grade will be based on, in increasing importance, class class attendance and participation, the report, how you respond to my comments on your draft paper, your participation in the forums, and the final version of the paper.  There will not be an exam.

materials: Most materials will be available on line. This includes the central text , Adam Morton A guide through the theory of knowledge , via a link or a free download. The text will also be available in printed form in the university bookstore. There will be books on reserve in the library. One book will be on reserve and in the bookstore, Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons the invisible gorilla. This book is recommended but not required.