Philosophy 175: Theory of Knowledge, Section 003 Loyola University Chicago Ben Bayer Spring 2008

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1 Philosophy 175: Theory of Knowledge, Section 003 Loyola University Chicago Ben Bayer Spring 2008 Course description Theory of knowledge, or epistemology, is one of the most central fields of philosophy. It addresses the nature and extent of our knowledge, a question which shapes other branches of philosophy and whole fields of science. Is our knowledge derived primarily from the senses, or from rational intuition? Do we have any knowledge of the external world, or are we always to be haunted by skeptical doubt? Is our knowledge objective, or is it colored by pragmatic, social factors? This course will survey some of the most important historical figures who address these questions, ranging from ancient philosophers like and Aristotle, to contemporary figures like W.V. Quine and the late Richard Rorty. In examining each figure, we will explore three basic topics for each major figure: the philosopher s theory of the nature of knowledge; the implications of this theory for important areas of knowledge (scientific, ethical, and religious); and the influence of the theory on other philosophers. Texts You will need one textbook and one small course pack: Human Knowledge: Classical and Contemporary Approaches (3 rd edition), Paul K. Moser and Arnold vander Nat Course pack containing readings from Aristotle (Irwin and Fine translation). Lecture and reading schedule (Moser and vander Nat page numbers are marked as MVN. All other readings are from the course pack or available online, and are specified as such.) Monday, January 14, 2008 Introduction Wednesday, January 16, 2008 Meno, selections via Friday, January 18, 2008 Meno, MVN 35-38, and further selections via . Monday, January 21, 2008 NO CLASS, MLK DAY HOLIDAY Wednesday, January 23, 2008 Phaedo, MVN Friday, January 25, 2008, continued Republic, MVN Monday, January 28, 2008, continued Theaetetus, MVN (section starting around 196d, Let us attempt to explain what it is like to know )

2 Wednesday, January 30, 2008 Aristotle Metaphysics, Book I, Ch. 1 and 2. Course pack from Irwin and Fine translation. online: Friday, February 1, 2008 Posterior Analytics, Book I, Ch 2-3. Course pack from Irwin and Fine (better translation) Posterior Analytics, MVN (from 71b, We suppose ourselves to possess unqualified scientific knowledge of a thing, to 76a30) Posterior Analytics, MVN 67-8 (from 88b, Scientific knowledge and its object differ to end of section around 89b5) Monday, February 4, 2008 Posterior Analytics, MVN 66-9, (from 87b31, Scientific knowledge is not possible through the act of perception, skipping section between 67-8 read for Friday, to around 90a30) Posterior Analytics, Book II, Ch. 8, Course pack from Irwin and Fine (better translation) Posterior Analytics, MVN (section starting around 93a1, We must now start afresh, ending around 93b20) Wednesday, February 6, 2008 Posterior Analytics, Book II, Ch. 19, Course pack from Irwin and Fine (better translation) Posterior Analytics, MVN (section starting around 99b, As regards syllogism and demonstration, until the end) Friday, February 8, 2008 De Anima, MVN (section starting around 429a10, Turning now to the part of the soul, ending around 430a5) Monday, February 11, 2008 FIRST PAPER DUE Sextus Empiricus Outlines of Pyrrhonism, MVN Wednesday, February 13, 2008 Sextus Empiricus, continued. Outlines of Pyrrhonism, MVN Friday, February 15, 2008 Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy, Meditations I and II, MVN Monday, February 18, 2008 Meditations on First Philosophy, Meditation III, MVN 120-5

3 Wednesday, February 20, 2008 Meditations on First Philosophy, Meditations IV and VI, Friday, February 22, 2008 Monday, February 25, 2008 Locke An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, selections from Book I and II, up to but not including II:XI, MVN Wednesday, February 27, 2008 An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, selections from Book II and III, MVN (up to but not including Book IV, Chapter I). Friday, February 29, 2008 An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, selections from Book IV, MVN 140-4, (not including Ch. V). Monday, March 3, 2008 through Friday, March 7, 2008 NO CLASS, SPRING BREAK Monday, March 10, 2008 Book IV, Ch. XVIII, On Faith and Reason, and their Distinct Provinces, online: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 MIDTERM EXAMINATION (in class, whole period) Friday, March 14, 2008 Leibniz New Essays on the Human Understanding, MVN (up to but not including Our able author seems to maintain ). Berkeley A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, MVN Monday, March 17, 2008 Hume An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section II and III, MVN Wednesday, March 19, 2008 Hume, continued An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section IV, MVN Friday, March 21, 2008 through Monday, March 24, 2008 NO CLASS, EASTER HOLIDAY Wednesday, March 26, 2008 Hume, continued An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section V and VII, MVN

4 Friday, March 28, 2008 Reid Inquiry into the Human Mind, MVN Monday, March 31, 2008 Kant Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics, Prolegomena, MVN Wednesday, April 2, 2008 Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics, First Part of the Transcendental Problem, up to but not including section 18, MVN Friday, April 4, 2008 Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics, First Part of the Transcendental Problem, up to but not including section 24, MVN Monday, April 7, 2008 SECOND PAPER DUE Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics, remainder of First Part of Transcendental Problem, sections 32-35, MVN James The Will to Believe, Sections I-VI, MVN Wednesday, April 9, 2008 James, continued The Will to Believe, Sections VII-X, MVN Friday, April 11, 2008 Ayer Verification and Philosophy, The Principle of Verification and The A priori, MVN (up to but not including The a priori Monday, April 14, 2008 NO CLASS Wednesday, April 16, 2008 Ayer Verification and Philosophy, remainder, MVN Friday, April 18, 2008 Quine Two Dogmas of Empiricism, ed excerpts, first part. Monday, April 21, 2008 Quine Two Dogmas of Empiricism, ed excerpts, continued. and

5 Epistemology Naturalized, MVN (from "Still there remains a helpful thought..." up to but not including "This idea of contextual definition"); (from "This was the conceptual side of epistemology..." up to but not including "But there remains a different reason... ); (from "Let me link up..." up to but not but not including "Around 1932 there was debate..."). Wednesday, April 23, 2008 Sellars Does empirical knowledge have a foundation? Sections 32-4 online at: Friday, April 25, 2008 Sellars, continued Does empirical knowledge have a foundation? Sections 34-8 online at: Rorty Pragmatism, Relativism, and Irrationalism, MVN Thursday, May 1, 2008, 1:00-3:00PM FINAL EXAM