PHIL2901 Problems of Knowledge

Schedule

PROVISIONAL - MAY WELL CHANGE!

The following is a tentative schedule of topics for our lecture/discussion sessions. Links take you to some notes or other material relevant to the session.  As of current writing, almost all this material is from earlier years; as we progress, updated versions may be posted.

Our prescribed texts are:

Chalmers - What is this thing called science?
Williams - Problems of knowlege
References below are to relevant chapters therein. I have added references to some of the relevant material in the books on overnight reserve:

Bird, A. Philosophy of Science
Huemer, M. (ed.) Epistemology: Contemporary Readings
Ladyman, J. Understanding Philosophy of Science
O'Hear, A. Introduction to the Philosophy of Science
Pojman, L. (ed.) The Theory of Knowledge
Williams, M. Problems of Knowledge

  1. Tuesday 4 Sept: Introductory Session
  2. Wednesday 5 September: General background to Epistemology (Powerpoint slides)
    Williams Introduction
  3. Thursday 6 Sept:The standard analysis of knowledge (Powerpoint slides)
    Williams 1; Huemer Part III section 1 extract from Ayer
  4. 11 Sept: class cancelled by campus
  5. 13 Sept: Ed absent
  6. 18 Sept: Problems with the standard analysis: threat of circularity and Gettier's incompleteness - (Powerpoint slides here)
    Williams 2; Huemer Part III section 1; Pojman Part IV;
  7. 20 Sept: Problems for the standard analysis: rejecting analyses (Williamson, Craig)
    (Powerpoint here).
  8. 25 Sept: Fallibilism (Powerpoint slides here - second half now in previous lecture's set)
    Williams 3, 4
  9. 27 Sept: Scepticism, ancient (Powerpoint slides here)
    Williams 5, 13; Huemer Part II section 3 extract from Sextus Empiricus;
  10. 2 Oct: Scepticism, modern
    Williams 6, 16; Huemer Part III section 2; Pojman Part II;
  11. 4 Oct: Responses to scepticism: foundationalism (Powerpoint slides here)
    Williams 7, 8, 9, 14; Huemer Part Ii section 3; Pojman Part V;
  12. 9 Oct: No class.
  13. 11 Oct: The internal/external issue (Powerpoint slides here)
    Williams 2; Pojman Part VI; Bird ch. 7
  14. 16 Oct: The place of perception (Powerpoint slides here)
    Williams 15; Pojman Part III
  15. 18 Oct: Observation and theory-ladenness (Powerpoint slides here)
    Chalmers 1, 2, 3, 13; O'Hear ch. 5
  16. 23 Oct: Responses to scepticism: Coherence views and Quine's holism (Powerpoint slides here)
    Williams 10, 11; Ladyman ch. 6; some of Pojman Part VII
  17. 25 Oct: Naturalism in epistemology
    Williams conclusion
  18. 30 Oct: Induction (Powerpoint slides here)
    Williams 17, Chalmers 1, 4; Huemer Part II, Section 2; Pojman Part VIII; Bird ch. 5; Ladyman ch.1-2; O'Hear ch. 2
  19. 1 Nov: Popperian epistemology (Powerpoint slides here) & demarcation
    Williams 18; Chalmers 5-7; Ladyman ch. 3; O'Hear chs. 3, 4 & 9
  20. 6 Nov: Non-deductive support (Powerpoint slides here)
    Chalmers 12; Bird ch. 6; O'Hear ch. 7
  21. 8 Nov: Problems for Bayes: old evidence and the paradox of confirmation (Powerpoint slides here)
  22. 13 Nov: Laws of nature
    Chalmers 14
  23. 15 Nov: The history of science and its philosophical significance (Powerpoint slides here)
    Chalmers 8-11; Bird ch. 8; Ladyman ch. 4
  24. 20 Nov: Methodological unity or diversity
    Chalmers 11
  25. 22 Nov: Lessons from history: disunity and pessimism? (Powerpoint slides)
  26. 27 Nov.: Some conclusions
    Chalmers 14-16; Williams 19, 20; Pojman Part XI; Ladyman ch. 8; O'Hear ch. 6
  27. 29 Nov: Revision, review, party, ....

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Ed Brandon, last revision 14 November 2007