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PHIL510 TOPICS IN EPISTEMOLOGY

Course Objectives

       BASIC INFO ABOUT PHIL-510 (Topic in Epistemology)

A NOTE TO STUDENTS:  Some 3rd and 4th year Philosophy undergrad students may be allowed to take the course.  Also, if you are an MA or PhD student in a program other than Philosophy, I may consider your situation.  In either case, send me an email and explain your academic background early in the registration week so that I can evaluate you for taking the course. 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  The general theme of this course is "knowledge and truth after epistemology."  One striking characteristic of philosophical enterprise today is that a considerable number of the theoreticians of knowledge and truth are seen to have grown suspicious of certain crucial aspects of the venerable field of epistemology and its fundamental presumptions.  The contemporary representatives of the counter movement often draw their inspiration from such philosophers as Hegel, Nietzsche, James and Heidegger who had collectively provided a forceful criticism of the customary rationalist and empiricist perspectives.  The 20th century philosophy literature also witnessed various radical stances as represented, for instance, by the later Wittgenstein and M. Foucault, stances which now provide a significant discursive axis and a point of departure for the anti-mentalist and/or anti-realist viewpoints.  In this course, we will try to understand the essential features of the movement against traditional epistemology and also assess the tenability and strengths of the pertinent critique through selected readings.  Our main focus will be on Barry Allen's rather unorthodox and controversial account of human knowledge.  We will also read and discuss Michael Lynch's pluralistic understanding of truth.

GRADING:  You will write one or two term paper(s) for this course (70% grade value in total).  On that matter, you have a choice: (1) You can write a single paper to be submitted in the finals period; it is expected to be at least 4000 words or approximately 12 pages. (2) Alternatively, you can write two 5-8 page papers (probably more advisable for undergraduate students taking the course).  In that case, the first one will be submitted around the middle of the term and the other during the finals period.  You will not get a passing grade if you submit only one of the required papers, in case you have opted for (2).

Before the submission of any paper, you will send me a short progress report regarding your work in order to get feedback (10% grade value in total).  And the remaining 20% of the course will come from your presentations, attendance rate and participation in our class discussions.

AI Usage and Plagiarism:  By taking this course you agree that you commit yourself to writing papers without getting any help from AI programs.  Students must also familiarize themselves with the definition of plagiarism and the ways to avoid it.  The following web-site is a helpful one:  https://www.plagiarism.org/article/preventing-plagiarism-when-writing

Course Content

Study of selected topics is epistemology.

Course Learning Outcomes

Program Outcomes Matrix

0: No Contribution 1: Little Contribution 2: Partial Contribution 3: Full Contribution