Postgraduate Course: Scepticism MSc (PHIL11117)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Philosophy |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | This course provides an introduction to philosophical scepticism. Topics may include: the history of scepticism in Ancient and Modern philosophy, sceptical arguments in contemporary epistemology, anti-sceptical strategies (idealism, pragmatism, Mooreanism, reliabilism, contextualism), the problem of induction, scepticism about testimony, and practical consequences of scepticism.
Scepticism MSc is also shared with the undergraduate version Scepticism (PHIL10139). |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2012/13 Semester 1, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Learn enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| Central | Lecture | G.06 Dugald Stewart Building | 1-11 | | | | 16:10 - 18:00 | |
| First Class |
Week 1, Thursday, 16:10 - 18:00, Zone: Central. G.06 Dugald Stewart Building |
| No Exam Information |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students will:
- Be familiar with central arguments for and against philosophical scepticism.
- Understand the role that scepticism plays in contemporary epistemological theorising.
- Be able to reason clearly and critically about sceptical arguments and antisceptical positions.
- Be able to interpret both historical and contemporary philosophical texts. |
Assessment Information
| One 2,500-word essay. Students will receive in-person feedback on their essay proposals and the usual written feedback on their essays. |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Not entered |
| Transferable skills |
Students will demonstrate the following transferable skills:
- evaluating abstract theoretical claims
- grasping and analysing complex arguments |
| Reading list |
Texts that may be studied in this course include:
Sextus Empiricus, Outlines of Scepticism.
Hume, selections from Enquiry concerning Human Understanding.
Descartes, Meditations.
Reid, Inquiry into the Human Mind on the Principles of Common Sense.
Stroud, The Significance of Philosophical Scepticism.
Chalmers, "The Matrix as Metaphysics"
Moore, "Four Forms of Scepticism"
Nozick, "Knowledge and Skepticism"
Dretske, "Epistemic Operators"
Sosa, "Beyond Skepticism, to the Best of our Knowledge"
Sosa, "How to Defeat Opposition to Moore"
Lewis, "Elusive Knowledge"
DeRose, "Solving the Skeptical Problem"
Stroud, "Scepticism, ¿Externalism¿, and the Goal of Epistemology"
Fumerton, Metaepistemology and Skepticism
Sosa, "Philosophical Scepticism and Epistemic Circularity"
Wittgenstein, On Certainty
Strawson, Scepticism and Naturalism: Some Varieties |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Allan Hazlett
Tel: (0131 6)50 3654
Email: ahazlett@exseed.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Lynsey Buchanan
Tel: (0131 6)51 5002
Email: Lynsey.Buchanan@ed.ac.uk |
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© Copyright 2012 The University of Edinburgh - 31 August 2012 4:33 am
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