Dr. Benjamin Winokur
ben.i.winokur@gmail.com

This course is an introduction to metaphysics and epistemology. Metaphysics addresses
questions about the fundamental structure of reality. Epistemology addresses questions about
whether, what, and how we can know reality. To explore both domains of philosophy, we will
journey across the history of Western philosophy, beginning from Ancient Greece and carrying
forward into the late 20th century.

All readings will be available, free of charge, via eClass.

1. First examination: 30%
2. Second examination: 30%
3. Term Paper: 40%

Examinations will take place on February 17th and March 31st.  Study questions will be
distributed in class one week ahead of the examinations.
Term papers are due on April 10th. These will be submitted electronically to eClass, where they
will be processed via Turnitin prior to grading. Suggested topics will be distributed in class two
weeks ahead of the deadline.

Course Schedule

January 11th—Introduction
Readings: none required, though feel free to peruse the “Metaphysics” and “Epistemology” on the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy; also consider Chapter 13 of Bertrand Russell’s The Value of Philosophy

January 13th—The ‘Justified True Belief’ Theory of Knowledge (1)
Readings: Theaetetus (chosen excerpts), Plato; “Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?”, Edmund Gettier

January 18th— The ‘Justified True Belief’ Theory of Knowledge (2)
Readings: “The Inescapability of Gettier Problems”, Linda Zagzebksi

January 20th—Cartesian Skepticism (1)
Readings: Meditations on First Philosophy, I, René Descartes

January 25th—Cartesian Skepticism (2)
Readings: The Significance of Philosophical Skepticism, Chapter 1, Barry Stroud

January 27th—Cartesian Skepticism (3)
Readings: The Significance of Philosophical Skepticism, Chapter 2, Barry Stroud

February 1st—Inductive Skepticism (1)
Readings: An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, §IV, part I, David Hume

*February 3rd—Inductive Skepticism (2)
Readings: An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, §IV, part II, David Hume

February 8th—Inductive Skepticism (3)
Readings: An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, §VII, part I, David Hume

*February 10th—Inductive Skepticism (4)
Readings: An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, §VII, part II, David Hume
*Review session for first examination

February 15th—Inductive Skepticism Reborn?
Readings: “A Query on Confirmation”, Nelson Goodman

*February 17th—First Examination
Readings: none
*First examination

March 1st—Transcendental Epistemology (1)
Readings: Critique of Pure Reason, Introduction in A, Immanuel Kant

March 3rd—Transcendental Epistemology (2)
Readings: Critique of Pure Reason, Transcendental Aesthetic in A, Immanuel Kant

March 8th—Transcendental Epistemology (3)
Readings: Critique of Pure Reason, Fourth Paralogism in A, Immanuel Kant

March 10th—Transcendental Epistemology (4)
Readings: Critique of Pure Reason, Fourth Paralogism in A (continued), Immanuel Kant

March 15th—Transcendental Epistemology (5)
Readings: Critique of Pure Reason, Second Analogy, Immanuel Kant

March 17th—Metaontology (1)
Readings: “Empiricism, Semantics and Ontology”, Rudolph Carnap

March 22nd—Metaontology (2)
Readings: The Significance of Philosophical Skepticism, Chapter 5, Barry Stroud

March 24th—Modern Empiricism (1)
Readings: “Two Dogmas of Empiricism” by W. V. O. Quine

March 29th—Modern Empiricism (2)
Readings: “Epistemology Naturalized” by W. V. O. Quine

March 31st—Second Examination
Readings: none
*Second Examination

April 5th—Conceptual Relativism
Readings: “On the Very Idea of a Conceptual Scheme”, Donald Davidson

*April 7th—Toward A Triadic Epistemology
Readings: “Epistemology Externalized”, Donald Davidson
*Final paper Deadline: April 10th

TBA