Seminar: Knowledge and Value

Philosophy 417 MWF 3:00, HU 304, Fall 2007 Professor Dennis Whitcomb

Updated October 2nd

Course Description. This course focuses on some normative issues in epistemology. We will closely examine a body of recent work on the question of what, if anything, makes knowledge better than mere true belief. We will also address a range of related issues. These issues include (a) what might make some sorts of knowledge better than other sorts, and (b) the normative statuses of justified belief and true belief. Course sessions will be largely discussions and somewhat student-led, and there will be plenty of writing.

Office Hours. MTRF 4:00-5:00 and by appointment, Bond Hall 311.

Course Materials. Readings and all other materials are on blackboard.

Grading. The grade is determined by four things:

1. Weeklies. Short (400-600 word) summaries of assigned readings. Due on the first class day of each week from October 1st through November 26th. (10%).  Before you start writing these, be sure to see the “Handout on weeklies” on blackboard.

2. In-class presentation. Along with another student, you will teach one session of the course. Assignments of students to sessions are listed in the schedule below. (15%).  Before you start working on this presentation, be sure to see the “Handout on presentations” on blackboard.

3. First draft of the term paper. 2000-4000 words, addressing some topic from the course, due on Monday November 5th. (25%).

4. Final draft of the term paper. A 3000-6000 word thorough revision of the first draft, revised in light of my comments, due December 12th at 5:30 pm via email. (50%).

Policy on late papers. All papers – both drafts of the term paper and each of the weeklies - are due at the beginning of class. If they are turned in during class but after the beginning of it, 10% is taken off. An additional 10% is taken off for each additional 24 hours they are late. (Send late papers to me via email so I can check the time).

Schedule Week 1: Sept 26 and 28. Introduction and background For Sept 28th: read Plato’s Meno

Week 2: October 1, 3, and 5. Theories of knowledge Gettier, “Is justified true belief knowledge?” Audi, “The analysis of knowledge” Oct. 1 st presentation: Whitcomb

Week 3: October 8, 10, and 12. The value problem. Jones “Why do we value knowledge?” Riggs, “Understanding, Knowledge, and the Meno Requirement”. Optional: Pritchard, “Recent Work on Epistemic Value”. Oct. 8 th presentation: Baker and Bauer

Week 4: October 15, 17, and 19. Swamping and reliabilism Zagzebski “The search for the source of epistemic good” (pp. 12-15 only) Goldman and Olsson, “Reliabilism and the value of knowledge” Oct. 15 th presentation: Clark and Drew

Week 5: October 22, 24, and 26. Swamping and credit Greco, “Gettier problems and the lottery problem” Greco, “The value problem” Oct. 22 nd presentation: Furste and Kenny

Week 6: October 29 and 31, November 2. Swamping and credit Greco, “The nature of ability and the purpose of knowledge” Oct. 29 th presentation: Knight and Phillips

Week 7: November 5, 7, and 9. Swamping and knowledge Whitcomb, “Knowledge, virtue, and truth” Nov. 5 th presentation: Whitcomb First draft of the term paper due on Monday Nov. 5th

Week 8: November 14 and 16. Significance Sosa, “For the love of truth” Kitcher, “Scientific significance” Optional: Grimm, “Epistemic Normativity” Optional: Grimm, “Epistemic goals and epistemic values” Nov 14 th presentation: Rasmussen and Smith

Week 9: November 19. Significance and curiosity Kim, “Explanatory knowledge and metaphysical dependence” Whitcomb, “The problem of epistemic significance” Optional: Zagzebski, “Recovering understanding” Nov. 19 th presentation: Standley and Steward Week 10: November 26, 28, and 30. Curiosity Kvanvig, “Knowledge as irreducibly valuable” Whitcomb, book manuscript excerpts Nov. 26 th presentation: Timeoni and Washington

Week 11: December 3, 5, and 7. Class will not meet this week. In place of class meetings, I encourage you to schedule meetings with me in which we discuss your progress on the term paper. You should also schedule meetings with one or more of your classmates to trade constructive feedback on your drafts.

The term paper due on December 12th at 5:30 pm, via email