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(in Polish) Epistemology A

General data

Course ID: 3800-ISP-EPA
Erasmus code / ISCED: 08.1 Kod klasyfikacyjny przedmiotu składa się z trzech do pięciu cyfr, przy czym trzy pierwsze oznaczają klasyfikację dziedziny wg. Listy kodów dziedzin obowiązującej w programie Socrates/Erasmus, czwarta (dotąd na ogół 0) – ewentualne uszczegółowienie informacji o dyscyplinie, piąta – stopień zaawansowania przedmiotu ustalony na podstawie roku studiów, dla którego przedmiot jest przeznaczony. / (0223) Philosophy and ethics The ISCED (International Standard Classification of Education) code has been designed by UNESCO.
Course title: (unknown)
Name in Polish: Epistemology A
Organizational unit: Faculty of Philosophy
Course groups: (in Polish) Przedmioty obowiązkowe, International Studies in Philosophy, studia stacjonarne, pierwszego stopnia
ECTS credit allocation (and other scores): 4.00 Basic information on ECTS credits allocation principles:
  • the annual hourly workload of the student’s work required to achieve the expected learning outcomes for a given stage is 1500-1800h, corresponding to 60 ECTS;
  • the student’s weekly hourly workload is 45 h;
  • 1 ECTS point corresponds to 25-30 hours of student work needed to achieve the assumed learning outcomes;
  • weekly student workload necessary to achieve the assumed learning outcomes allows to obtain 1.5 ECTS;
  • work required to pass the course, which has been assigned 3 ECTS, constitutes 10% of the semester student load.
Language: English
Type of course:

obligatory courses

Short description:

Epistemology is concerned with such questions as “What, if anything, do we know?”, “What is knowledge?”. We will begin by looking at scientific knowledge. Despite the fact that it appears to be the most solid kind of knowledge, it has been subject to a serious skeptical challenge (Hume’s problem of induction). We will discuss the two main responses to the skeptical challenge (neo-inductivism and falsificationism), paying particular attention to their accounts of justification. In the second and main part of the course, we will take up the difficult issue of the analysis of knowledge. We will consider the challenge of Gettier’s problem. We will then consider various theories of justification (theories of the structure of knowledge) and the debate between internalism and externalism.

Full description:

Epistemology is concerned with such questions as “What, if anything, do we know?”, “What is knowledge?”. We will begin by looking at scientific knowledge. Despite the fact that it appears to be the most solid kind of knowledge, it has been subject to a serious skeptical challenge (Hume’s problem of induction). We will discuss the two main responses to the skeptical challenge (neo-inductivism and falsificationism), paying particular attention to their accounts of justification. In the second and main part of the course, we will take up the difficult issue of the analysis of knowledge. We will consider the challenge of Gettier’s problem. We will then consider various theories of justification (theories of the structure of knowledge) and the debate between internalism and externalism.

Weak Inductionism. Problem of Induction. Wide Inductionism. Popper’s Falsificationism

Conceptual Analysis. The JTB Account of Knowledge. Gettier Problem. Internalist Solutions and externalist (Nozick, Goldman) solutions. Goldman’s reliabilism. Internalism vs Externalism

The Regress Problem. Foundationalism. Coherentism. Infinitism

Bibliography:

C.G. Hempel, Philosophy of Natural Science (Prentice-Hall, 1966)

J. Dancy, Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology (Oxford: Blackwell, 2005)

D. O’Brien, 2017, An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge, Cambridge: Polity.

J. Nagel, 2014. Knowledge. A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

M. Steup & E. Sosa, Contemporary Debates in Epistemology (Oxford: Blackwell, 2005)

S. Bernecker, Reading Epistemology (Oxford: Blackwell, 2006)

E. Sosa, J. Kim, J. Fantl, M. McGrath, Epistemology, 2nd edition (Oxford: Blackwell, 2008

Learning outcomes: (in Polish)

Acquired knowledge

- knows basic epistemological terminology in English (W03, W05)

- knows the relation between epistemology and the main philosophical subdisciplines (W02)

- knows the relation between epistemology and sciences of cognition (W02)

- has knowledge of the main positions in epistemology (W06, W08)

- understands the main epistemological problems (W06, W08)

- knows what giving arguments and counterarguments consists in (W14)

- knows what conceptual analysis consists in (W14)

Acquired skills

- is able to apply epistemological terminology correctly (U05)

- is able to analyze epistemological arguments, identify its crucial premises as well as understand the relations between the conclusions and premises (U04, U07, U08, U09)

- is able to give arguments for and against the main positions in contemporary epistemology (U07, U8, U09, U16)

Acquired social competences

- is open to discuss epistemological issues (K02)

- is open to new proposals of solutions to problems (K02)

Assessment methods and assessment criteria:

70% Written exam

20% Reading quizzes

10% 3 short (1-page) papers

There is an up to 10% bonus for discussion participation.

The final exam and test will consist of short answer questions. At the end of each section of the material (approx. weekly or biweekly), study questions will be made available. A student who is able to answer all study questions is guaranteed to pass the exam.

Acceptable number of missed classes without formal explanation: 2

Classes in period "Winter semester 2023/24" (past)

Time span: 2023-10-01 - 2024-01-28
Selected timetable range:
Navigate to timetable
Type of class:
Tutorial, 45 hours, 40 places more information
Coordinators: Katarzyna Paprzycka-Hausman
Group instructors: Kamil Lemanek, Katarzyna Paprzycka-Hausman
Students list: (inaccessible to you)
Examination: Course - Examination
Tutorial - Examination

Classes in period "Winter semester 2024/25" (future)

Time span: 2024-10-01 - 2025-01-26
Selected timetable range:
Navigate to timetable
Type of class:
Tutorial, 45 hours, 45 places more information
Coordinators: Katarzyna Paprzycka-Hausman
Group instructors: Kamil Lemanek, Katarzyna Paprzycka-Hausman
Students list: (inaccessible to you)
Examination: Course - Examination
Tutorial - Examination
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