Professor Jagdish Hattiangadi,

jagdish@yorku.ca

Office Location:  S437 Ross Building

Phone Number: (416) 736-2100 Ext. 77524

Office Hours:  Tuesdays 1:30 p.m. - 2:20 p.m. (or by appointment)

This course is an introduction to epistemology and metaphysics, with a primary focus on epistemology. Epistemology is a branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of knowledge and with questions about what we can know and how we can acquire knowledge. Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of reality, and addresses questions about what there is in the world and about the real nature of things.

We will explore a sampling of epistemological and metaphysical questions in this course, using the texts of David Hume and Bertrand Russell.  In this course, we will take a look at the difficulties of knowing things, and as we pursue it we come to assess what must be there for us to know much about the world. However, we will not necessarily agree with either David Hume, or Bertrand Russell, though some of us may well do so. Our task is to examine their intriguing arguments and conclusions to see where they may have erred, or to endorse whatever they may have rightly observed, if we think so after critical reflection.

David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding.

Bertrand Russell, The Problems of Philosophy.

Participation in tutorials and on Moodle:                          30%

Mid term in class test                                                          30%

Final Essay                                                                            40%

Class time will be used for short lectures and discussion, but mostly the latter. Moodle discussions are due under the appropriate topic each week, and will be essential to improve your final grade computation. Please read the material for the week and post your remarks 24 hours prior to each class to be used for a grade. There is a midterm examination and a final paper in this course. The midterm exam is mandatory. You will not get a grade without taking it in person. The final paper must be submitted in identical copy electronically to the Turnitin site on Moodle and also handed in as a printed paper to the course instructor at the drop box near the departmental office.

After completing the course, you should be able to improve at the following tasks:

• Critically analyze conceptual issues.
• Actively read a text for its meaning.
• Accurately summarize a text.
• Critically evaluate a text.
• Critically evaluate arguments.
• Form well considered judgments on difficult questions.
• Construct well-thought-out and persuasive arguments.