KNOWLEDGE AND REALITY

201 Hunter College | Fall 2015 | Taught by Daniel W. Harris

Syllabus   |   First Assignment  |   Term Paper Assignment  |   Commenting Instructions   |   Final Exam

Tuesdays Fridays
August 28
Introduction
September 1
Bertrand Russell: The Problems of Philosophy, Chs. 1-4

Slides
September 4
Russell: The Problems of Philosophy, Chs. 5-8

Slides
September 8
Class cancelled on this day
September 11
Class cancelled on this day
September 15
No Class at Hunter on this Day
September 18
Russell: The Problems of Philosophy, Chs. 9-15

Slides
September 23
No Class at Hunter on this Day
September 26
Russell: The Problems of Philosophy

(We'll finish talking about the book. Quiz will be on chs. 9-13.)
September 29
Robert Audi - Epistemology (excerpt on Perception)
October 2
Michael Huemer - An Objection to Indirect Realism Slides on Audi and Huemer

October 6
(Finished discussion of sense data.)
October 9
Eric Schwitzgebel - 1% Skepticism

(We'll have another quiz on this reading.)

Slides on Schwitzgebel

October 13
Class Cancelled
October 16
W. V. O. Quine - Word and Object (ch.1)

W. V. O. Quine - Two Dogmas of Empiricism (excerpt; read this second)

Slides on Quine

October 20
D. M. Armstrong - Is Introspective Knowledge Incorrigible?
October 23
D. M. Armstrong - The Nature of Mind

Slides on Armstrong

October 27
Paul Churchland: Eliminative Materialism

Slides on Churchland

October 30
Andy Clark and Dave Chalmers: The Extended Mind

Slides on Clark and Chalmers

November 3
Frank Jackson: What Mary Didn't Know
November 6
Brie Gertler: A Defense of Mind-Body Dualism

Slides on Jackson and Gertler

November 10
Chris Swoyer: Abstract Entities

November 13
Cian Dorr: There Are No Abstract Objects

Slides on Swoyer and Dorr

November 17
Lila Gleitman and Elissa Newport: The Invention of Language by Children

November 20
Steven Gross and George Rey - Innateness

Optional Background: The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Article on Jerry Fodor. (Sections 4, 5, and 6 are relevant.)

Slides on Swoyer and Dorr
November 24
C. L. Hardin: Perception and Physical Theory

The Color After Image Illusion (Youtube Video)

Slides on Hardin
November 27
No Class (Thanksgiving)
December 1
(Class cancelled)
December 4
John Perry: A Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality

Optional: Bernard Williams: The Self and the Future

December 8
Derek Parfit: Personal Identity

December 11
David Velleman: So It Goes

Slides on the Self