Syllabus

Course Description

Proponents of virtue epistemology claim that a virtue approach can solve some of the traditional problems of epistemology. In this seminar we will try to determine whether this claim is true. First, we will explore some traditional epistemological problems and debates—e.g., foundationalism/coherentism, internalism/externalism, skepticism, and the Gettier problem. Then, we will survey recent work in virtue epistemology and evaluate whether a virtue approach provides any new solutions to the problems discussed in the first unit.

Course Website

http://www.people.umass.edu/uril/phil393/epistemology.htm

Required Texts* (Available at Amherst Books, 8 Main St. Amherst, MA)

	Feldman, R., Epistemology, Prentice Hall 2003
	Kim & Sosa (Eds.), Epistemology: An Anthology, Blackwell Publishing 2000

Other required readings for this course will be available on JSTOR or the course website.

* Both books are available on 2 hr/No-overnight reserve at the Du BOIS Library Reserve Services (3rd floor)

Course Requirements

(1) Lectures: You must attend class regularly, taking detailed notes, asking questions and contributing to class discussions. Note: some topics that we will discuss in class are not covered in the required readings. If you miss class it is your responsibility to catch up.

(2) Readings: You must complete each reading assignment on time and be prepared to discuss it in class (you might be called upon in class). Note: there will be a lot of reading assigned for this course - typically you will be required to read a philosophical paper and a section from the textbook (or equivalent) for each class session. You are responsible for all the required reading for this course even if we do not discuss all of it in class.

(3) Internet: You must have regular access to a computer with a printer and an internet connection. You must check the course website frequently and be able to print out readings from the course website, JSTOR and E-reserve.

(4) Homework: You will be required to submit one or two short written homework assignments each week (about ½-1 page long). You must submit your homework on time – late assignments will not be accepted.

(5) Mid-Term Paper: You will be required to write a short mid-term paper (about 5-6 pages long)

(6) Final Paper: You will be required to write a long final paper (about 10-12 pages long)

Final Grade

Your final grade for this course will probably be determined as follows:*

Attendance: Mandatory. If you miss too many classes you will automatically fail this course. Moreover, your HW, presentation, and mid-term paper grades (see below) will be multiplied by the number of classes you attended and divided by the total number of classes. I will take attendance at the beginning of each class. Your overall attendance will be determined solely according to my records. If you show up late, it is your responsibility to make sure that I mark you on my attendance list. If you know you won’t be able to make it to class you must notify me by email before class.

Homework: 20% Late assignments will not be accepted. If you can’t make it to class (for a good reason), you must submit your homework to me (by email) before class. There will be no exceptions to this rule.

Mid-Term Paper: 30% Late submissions will be penalized by a part of a grade per day (i.e. A becomes A-; A- becomes B+ etc.)

Final Paper: 50% Late submissions will be penalized by a part of a grade per day (i.e. A becomes A-; A- becomes B+ etc.)

Excellent Contribution Bonus: You can earn a bonus of up to 10 points (on a 100-point scale) that will be added to your final grade by making excellent contributions to this course. For example, students who regularly come to class well prepared and regularly make excellent contributions to class discussion will receive up to 10 points of extra credit.

Cheating

Passing off another’s ideas or words or answers as your own is cheating. It is very easy to catch and will not be tolerated in this course. Cheaters will receive an automatic ‘F’ for the course and may be subject to expulsion from the university.

Here's The official university policy concerning academic honesty.

Students with Special Needs

If you are a student with any kind of special need, please do not hesitate to contact me for any necessary accommodations.

Phil393E: Seminar in Epistemology / Spring 07

Topics in Epistemology