AP/PHIL3140 3.0 A: Russell and Logical Positivism
Offered by: PHIL
Session
Fall 2021
Term
F
Format
REMT
Instructor
Calendar Description / Prerequisite / Co-Requisite
An examination of Bertrand Russell's extensive contribution to philosophy along with that of the early Wittgenstein and the Vienna Circle Positivists such as Carnap, Schlick and Ayer. Prerequisite: AP/PHIL 2100 3.00 or at least six credits in philosophy. AP/PHIL 2100 3.00 is recommended. Course credit exclusion: GL/PHIL 3915 3.00. PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Prerequisite: At least six credits in philosophy. AS/PHIL 2100 3.00 or AK/PHIL 2100 3.00 (prior to Summer 2007) is recommended. Course credit exclusions: AK/AS/PHIL 3140 3.00.
Course Start Up
Course Websites hosted on York's "eClass" are accessible to students during the first week of the term. It takes two business days from the time of your enrolment to access your course website. Course materials begin to be released on the course website during the first week. To log in to your eClass course visit the York U eClass Portal and login with your Student Passport York Account. If you are creating and participating in Zoom meetings you may also go directly to the York U Zoom Portal.
For further course Start Up details, review the Getting Started webpage.
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Professor Judy Pelham
pelham@yorku.ca
This course is an opportunity to look at a philosophical position that is rooted in knowledge and metaphysics, but that creates a broad philosophical outlook. A broad philosophical outlook is one that has implications for every area of philosophy and that effects how we should think in general. Logical positivism is the twentieth century version of empiricism, and it was very influential. Logical positivists believe that knowledge is structured according to the logical form of a sentence, and that the foundation of human knowledge is human experience. Positivism is essentially an epistemological view, a view about knowledge but the positivists believed that their view had implications for metaphysics, language, moral philosophy, and religion. Positivism was undermined in the 1960s by a thesis advanced by WVO Quine that the parts of knowledge cannot be fully atomized into isolated statements, a view that also relied on the role of logic. This can be the basis for an interesting discussion of directions in philosophy.
Technical requirements for taking the course: This is an online course. You should expect to be able to visit the course website online, watch a video recording online, participate in live online discussion preferably using a camera. In other words you need a personal computer with a stable reliable internet connection. There will be no recordings taken of you online and you will not be asked to take any tests live in which you are monitored.
Here are some useful links for student computing information, resources and help:
Zoom@YorkU User Reference Guide
Computing for Students Website
Student Guide to eLearning at York University
Times and locations: There are no live in-person meetings for the course. There will be course discussion sessions held live on Zoom each Wednesdays from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. There will be some lecture recordings available on the course website that can be watched prior to discussion. There will also be assignments and a two quizzes that will be held online.
Virtual office hours: Each Wednesday from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm I will hold virtual office hours on Zoom. This is a way for students to meet with me individually using the internet.
Ayer, Alfred J. 1946. Language, Truth and Logic. Dover paperback reprint, 1952.
Russell, Bertrand. 1918. The Philosophy of Logical Atomism . Routledge paperback edition 2009
Online Quizzes: 20%
Online short writing assignments: 30%
Editing of selected other student work: 20%
Major Essay: 30%
This course will be held online. There are no in person meetings. There will be some lectures recorded in advance, online activities, and assignments. There is also a live participation component on Zoom to be held on Wednesdays at 11:30 am for 90 minutes. We will use our eCourse website as a base, and meet me via the Zoom link available via eCourse on Wednesday, September 8th at 11:30 am Eastern time and I will go over all the elements of the course in greater detail.
In this course you will learn to:
- Give examples of logical truths, and explain their role in a positivist theory of knowledge.
- Evaluate the meaningfulness and the truth of everyday statements, according to a positivist understanding of knowledge.
- Discuss how positivism gives a central role to language.
- Identify and explain what philosophical arguments led to the decline of positivism.
- Understand how an epistemological view can act as a basis for a broad philosophy.
- Academic Honesty
- Student Rights and Responsibilities
- Religious Observance
- Grading Scheme and Feedback
- 20% Rule
No examinations or tests collectively worth more than 20% of the final grade in a course will be given during the final 14 calendar days of classes in a term. The exceptions to the rule are classes which regularly meet Friday evenings or on Saturday and/or Sunday at any time, and courses offered in the compressed summer terms. - Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
