Courses :: Module, THEORIES OF KNOWLEDGE (EPISTEMOLOGY)

	Overview
	This module examines a range of historically significant and contemporary views on the nature, origins, extent and justificatory status of human knowledge. It is divided into three main sections, corresponding to the way theory of knowledge is addressed in ancient Greek, modern, and contemporary philosophy. It commences with Plato�s famous discussion on the nature of knowledge in the Theaetetus. It then examines the quest for certainty and scepticism and its motivation in the modern period on Descartes�s rationalist formulation of the problem of knowledge in the Meditations. The empiricists� and nominalists� responses of Locke and Hume will be then examined as well as Husserl�s doctrine of the intuition of essences as a solution to the experiential origin of the justification of a priori judgements. Finally, the module concludes with some contemporary discussion on �the Gettier Problem�, Foundationalism and Coherentism.

Overview

This module examines a range of historically significant and contemporary views on the nature, origins, extent and justificatory status of human knowledge. It is divided into three main sections, corresponding to the way theory of knowledge is addressed in ancient Greek, modern, and contemporary philosophy. It commences with Plato�s famous discussion on the nature of knowledge in the Theaetetus. It then examines the quest for certainty and scepticism and its motivation in the modern period on Descartes�s rationalist formulation of the problem of knowledge in the Meditations. The empiricists� and nominalists� responses of Locke and Hume will be then examined as well as Husserl�s doctrine of the intuition of essences as a solution to the experiential origin of the justification of a priori judgements. Finally, the module concludes with some contemporary discussion on �the Gettier Problem�, Foundationalism and Coherentism.

	Learning Outcomes
	On successful completion of the module, students should be able to: Distinguish epistemology as a philosophical discipline from kindred approaches to knowledge (e.g. from sociology, psychology, anthropology). Identify differences in meaning of basic terms used in theory of knowledge, such as, �knowledge�, �belief�, �true belief�, �false belief�, �certitude�, �certainty�. Recognise the significance of the epistemic distinction between �a posteriori� and �a priori� knowledge-claims and between �assertoric and apodictic evidence�. Discriminate between historical formulations of the problem of knowledge and responses to that problem attempted in ancient Greek, modern and contemporary philosophy (e.g. by Plato, Descartes, Locke, Hume, Kant, Husserl, Chisholm, Gettier, Bonjour, Lehrer, Goldman) and evaluate their accounts. Recognise the significance of the difference between the question of the psychological origins of ideas and the epistemological justification of knowledge-claims, and the inadequacy of the former to the later (e.g. psychologism and the genetic fallacy in epistemology in relation to the problem of �universals�). Identify the problem of the origin and limits to human knowledge-claims, and assess some of the main responses to that problem in ancient, medieval, modern and contemporary epistemology (e.g. the problem of �certainty� and skepticism, of �nominalism� and realism of �essences�, of �induction� and the status of natural-scientific knowledge-claims, and problems with defining knowledge as �justified true belief�). Discuss and evaluate central tenets and themes in contemporary foundationalist and coherentist accounts of knowledge. Demonstrate ability to select and think-through a response that is of relevance to the set essay-assignment tasks in addressing epistemological issues of concern in philosophy and perennially.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:

Distinguish epistemology as a philosophical discipline from kindred approaches to knowledge (e.g. from sociology, psychology, anthropology).
Identify differences in meaning of basic terms used in theory of knowledge, such as, �knowledge�, �belief�, �true belief�, �false belief�, �certitude�, �certainty�.
Recognise the significance of the epistemic distinction between �a posteriori� and �a priori� knowledge-claims and between �assertoric and apodictic evidence�.
Discriminate between historical formulations of the problem of knowledge and responses to that problem attempted in ancient Greek, modern and contemporary philosophy (e.g. by Plato, Descartes, Locke, Hume, Kant, Husserl, Chisholm, Gettier, Bonjour, Lehrer, Goldman) and evaluate their accounts.
Recognise the significance of the difference between the question of the psychological origins of ideas and the epistemological justification of knowledge-claims, and the inadequacy of the former to the later (e.g. psychologism and the genetic fallacy in epistemology in relation to the problem of �universals�).
Identify the problem of the origin and limits to human knowledge-claims, and assess some of the main responses to that problem in ancient, medieval, modern and contemporary epistemology (e.g. the problem of �certainty� and skepticism, of �nominalism� and realism of �essences�, of �induction� and the status of natural-scientific knowledge-claims, and problems with defining knowledge as �justified true belief�).
Discuss and evaluate central tenets and themes in contemporary foundationalist and coherentist accounts of knowledge.
Demonstrate ability to select and think-through a response that is of relevance to the set essay-assignment tasks in addressing epistemological issues of concern in philosophy and perennially.

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THEORIES OF KNOWLEDGE (EPISTEMOLOGY)

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