A note about who can take the course:  This PHIL undergraduate course is open to Philosophy students only.  I am unable to admit non-Philosophy students during normal registration week.  If, however, some people drop the course in the following week, I may admit a few more students to the course.  If you want to be considered during the add-drop period, send me an e-mail before it explaining your background.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

     "ΓΝΩΘΙ ΣΕΑΥΤΟΝ"
     (Inscription at Apollo’s Temple at Delphi)

This course is intended to be the second part of a general introduction to theory of knowledge. Although I will assume in my lectures a basic philosophical background and some familiarity with epistemological notions (as provided, for instance, by PHIL-106), the course can in principle be taken independently --i.e., without previously taking PHIL-106.

In this course, we will cover some historical material as well as readings from contemporary epistemology literature.  The course will have three main philosophical/discursive axes: (1) Epistemology of Perception, (2) Theories of Justification, and finally (3) Feminist Epistemology.  In dealing with (2) above, emphasis will be placed especially on the debate between foundationalism and coherentism.  And we will study part (3) as an example of the contemporary reaction to traditional analytic epistemology.

Grading:  Students will write two in-class examinations: (1) The mid-term exam will probably take place in April (40% grade value); (2) The remaining part of your total grade will come from the final exam (60% grade value).  Please note that if you take only one of those two exams, you will get an ‘F’ grade.