Epistemology PHIL5067

  • Academic Session: 2024-25
  • School: School of Humanities
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 1
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No

Short Description

In this course we will critically assess a number of alternative theories of knowledge. We will also examine debates over scepticism, as well as covering disputes about the nature of epistemic justification.

Timetable

2 lectures per week for 9 weeks, plus 4 tutorials. The course may not run every year. Options running this year are available on MyCampus.

Requirements of Entry

Standard entry to Masters at College level

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

Two essays, equally weighted, each with a word limit of 2500 words.

Course Aims

The course aims to:

■ introduce students to a number of major issues in the Theory of Knowledge (Epistemology).

■ familiarize students with the main positions and arguments within each topic.

■ enable the students to deploy these arguments for themselves.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

 

■ Critically engage with contemporary debates on the definition of knowledge;

■ Critically engage with contemporary accounts of scepticism about knowledge;

■ Explain and assess Internalist versus Externalist, and Foundationalist versus Coherentist Theories of Justification

■ Critically discuss approaches to the problem of induction.

 

Assessment for this course is at Masters Level.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.