Philosophy 38: Experience and Reality
First Summer Session 2005; Section 1: Caldwell Hall 208
Monday thru Friday
11:30-1:00pm

Instructor: Ted Parent
Email: tparent@email.unc.edu
Phone: 962-3329
Office: Caldwell Hall 210B
Office Hours: Monday 4:00-5:00pm, Thursday 1:00-2:00pm, and by appointment.
Course Website: http://www.unc.edu/~tparent/philosophy038.html

This course is an introduction to epistemology. Epistemology attempts to answer questions such as “What do I really know, if anything?,” “What is justification, and which of my beliefs are justified?,” and “What is it to have evidence for a belief?” We will be unable to take a full survey of epistemology in this course, so instead, we will focus on (what I take to be) the most important work in the discipline.

Text:
Coursepack (available from Student Stores)

Course Assignments:
(1) Every Thursday, there will be an in-class writing assignment (about a paragraph in length) on the readings for that day. Satisfactory performance on these assignments is a requirement for the course, which means that unsatsifactory performance can lower your final grade. However, exemplary performance on these assignments can also act as “extra credit” to boost your final grade.
(2) Argument Paper (no minimum length; maximum length is 5 pages) due May 31 worth 35% of the final grade.
(3) Take-Home Exam (on Decision Theory) due June 6 worth 25% of the final grade.
(4) Final exam on June 21 worth 40% of the final grade.
(5) In lieu of the final, you may instead write a longer paper (12-15pp.), due at the end of the final exam period. This paper may be an extension of your Argument Paper, or it can be on some other (relevant) topic. Regardless, you MUST develop an outline with me in office hours by Jun 16 before you may skip the final exam.

No late assignments accepted. If you are unwilling to abide by this policy, please drop the course.

N.B. Excellent or poor participation/attendance will also affect your final grade. In extreme cases, poor attendance will result in an automatic ‘F’ for the course, regardless of your performance on the assignments.

Tentative Schedule

May 17         Introductory Session.
May 18         Descartes, Meditation One
May 19         Chisholm, “The Myth of the Given”
May 20         Chisholm (cont’)  

May 23         Bonjour, “The Coherence Theory of Empirical Knowledge”
May 24         Bonjour (cont’)
May 25         Resnik, Chapter 1, (except section 1.4)
May 26         Resnik, Chapter 3
May 27         Resnik, Chapter 3 (cont’)

May 30         NO CLASS (Memorial Day)
May 31         Resnik, Chapter 3 (cont’) Argument Paper due: May 31
Jun 1             Resnik, Chapter 3 (cont’)
Jun 2             Lehrer, from Knowledge
Jun 3             Lehrer (cont’)

Jun 6             Glymour, “Why I am Not a Bayesian”    Take-Home Exam due: Jun 6
Jun 7             Glymour (cont’)
Jun 8 Horwich, “Wittgensteinian Bayesianism” [on Blackboard]
Jun 9 Horwich (cont’)
Jun 10           Quine, “Two Dogmas of Empiricism” (section 6 only)

Jun 16           Kuhn, “Objectivity, Value Judgment, and Theory Choice”
Jun 17         Kuhn (cont’)
Jun 18           Lehrer, “Why Not Skepticism?”
Jun 19           Lehrer (cont’)
Jun 20         Klein and Warfield, “What Price Coherence?”

Final Exam on Jun 21 from 8am to 11am.

Honor code:
The Chancellor has asked faculty to include the following statement in all course syllabi.

“The Honor Code prohibits lying, cheating or stealing when these actions involve academic processes or University, student or academic personnel acting in an official capacity.  The Campus Code requires students to conduct themselves in such ways as not to impair the welfare or the educational opportunities of others in the University community.  As a UNC student, you have accepted a commitment to the Honor Code and the Campus Code, and the principles of academic integrity, personal honesty, and responsible citizenship on which they were founded more than 100 years ago.
Academic dishonesty in any form is unacceptable, because it circumvents the purpose of the University's life and work.  As a faculty member, I have a responsibility to report any possible Honor Code violations to the Student Attorney General.  I trust that you will join me in supporting the Honor Code by signing the Honor Pledge on all written work, and by consulting me if you are uncertain about your responsibilities within this course.”