Epistemology

Teacher(s)

Guay Alexandre;

Language

French

Prerequisites

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Main themes

This course does not deal with special epistemology, which concerns the fundamentals of a specific type of knowledge (human or natural sciences), but with general epistemology, also known as the theory of knowledge. It will cover the heavily gnoseological thought processes (reasoning, judging, believing, etc.). We will highlight the obstacles to knowledge (doubt, error, sensorial or cognitive illusions, cognitive bias, theoretical load, etc.), as well as some of the means that are supposed to help overcome them. We will present and discuss the main historical epistemological movements (empiricism and rationalism, idealism and realism, the nature of truth, etc.), but also the more contemporary, and in some cases the more recent, positions (internalism and externalism, foundationalism and coherentism, evidence-based knowledge, social constructivism, etc.).

Aims

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	By the end of this course, students will have learned the basic concepts of philosophy¿s great theories of knowledge. They will understand how a debate can, reasonably and critically, claim to be valid. They will realise that there are many answers to the question ¿what can I know?¿ In other words, what are the nature, methods and limits of knowledge?

The contribution of this Teaching Unit to the development and command of the skills and learning outcomes of the programme(s) can be accessed at the end of this sheet, in the section entitled “Programmes/courses offering this Teaching Unit”.

Content

1 - Introduction
2 - Sensible knowledge
3 - Sensation and perception
4 - Epistemological realism
5 - Knowledge = jsutified true belief?
6 - Concept and induction
7 - Epistemological antirealism
8 - A priori and a posteriori knowledge
9 - Truth

Teaching methods

This course will be mostly based on traditional lessons. The main method will be the systematic comparison between approaches and positions. Because of the diversity of authors and approaches studied, the students will prepare lessons by carefully reading the suggested materials. Participation during discussions in class will also be essential.

Evaluation methods

The evaluation consists of two elements: a personal essay on a text chosen from a list (50% of the final grade) and a written exam (50%).
During the second session, the evaluation consists of the same elements.

Online resources

Moodle web site.

Faculty or entity

EFIL