Advanced Subjects in Philosophy and Cognitive Science
Lecturers: Sven Rosenkranz, Julien Dutant
Aims.
The course is centred two central questions: what we know and what we should believe. It approaches these questions by examining candidate principles for knowledge and justified belief. Examples of such principles are: what is known is true; one always knows what one knows; one should believe what one knows; it is not justified to have contradictory beliefs; it is justified to believe what follows from one’s beliefs, and so on. Studying such principles is one of the main ways in which contemporary philosophers gain insight into what knowledge is, what we know and what we should believe.
Description.
The first week, taught by Sven Rosenkranz, provides a general introduction to epistemology, its central conceptual distinctions and its core questions. The second week is taught by Julien Dutant from King’s College London. It will cover recent debates on knowledge, belief and justified belief, with a special attention to principles that connect these notions. It will also put recent views in the perspective of the broader history of Western philosophy. Along the way it will provide students with formal tools that are essential for epistemology such as probability theory, epistemic utility theory, and epistemic logic.
Learning outcomes
CB6. Students should be able to critically understand central texts in epistemology in a way that puts them in a position to develop and apply original ideas.
CB9. Students should be able to communicate their knowledge and their arguments to specialized audiences in a clear and articulate way.
CG2. Students should be able to design, create, develop and undertake new and innovative projects in their area of expertise.
CG3. Students should be able to engage both in general and specific discussions in the domain of epistemology. They should be able to conduct a philosophical discussion (orally and in written form), by putting forward, for example, general arguments or specific examples, in support of one’s position.
CG4. Students should be able to work both independently and in a team, in an international environment.
CG5. Students should be able to identify methodological errors, rhetorical, conventional and uncritical assumptions, vagueness and superficiality.
CE1. Students should be able to critically engage with the concepts and methods of contemporary epistemology.
CE2. Students should be able to identify the core arguments and theories of contemporary epistemology.
CE4. Students should be able to assess the writings of leading contemporary philosophers in the field of epistemology.
CE5. Students should be able to identify and critically engage with the current state of a particular philosophical debate, and form a reasoned view, even if provisional, about it.
CE7. Students should be able to critically use specialized terminology in the field of epistemology.
Methodology
The course will combine lectures by the course instructors with seminar-like discussions to which students are expected to actively contribute. A list of mandatory readings will be communicated before the course. Some preparatory readings are also suggested in the bibliography.
Evaluation
Evaluation will be based on active participation in class and a final essay, of around 3000 words, on a pertinent question to be agreed with the course instructors.
Bibliography
Students who wish to do some preparatory readings can use the suggestions below. A list of mandatory readings will be made available before the course.
Nagel, Jennifer. 2014. Knowledge: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press. A brief, accessible and rigorous introduction to a number of topics addressed in the course. (See especially chapters 1, 2, 4, 5, 7.)
Bradley, Darren. 2015. A Critical Introduction to Formal Epistemology. Chapters 1, 2, 3 offer a clear introduction to probability with a focus on epistemology.
Papineau, David. 2012. Philosophical Devices. Chapters 7 and 8 offer a brief and easy introduction to probability.