Course Outline of Record

Item	Value
Curriculum Committee Approval Date	12/02/2020
Top Code	150900 - Philosophy
Units	3 Total Units
Hours	54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours	0
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	No
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S),  Pass/No Pass (B)
Associate Arts Local General Education (GE)	OC Humanities - AA (OC1)
Associate Science Local General Education (GE)	OCC Humanities - AS (OSC2)
California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)	Cal-GETC 3B Humanities (3B)
Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)	IGETC 3B Humanities (3B)
California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE-Breadth)	CSU C2 Humanities (C2)

Course Description

A critical survey of theories of truth, knowledge and belief, perception, and related problems. An evaluation of the limits and extent of human reasoning. The survey includes the mathematic-deductive method, the problem of induction, and an assessment of the conditions of the possibility of experience. Assess how evidence is assembled, interpreted and evaluated, and addresses what counts as a good reason to believe, i.e. the problems of justifying evidence. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

1. Present a critical philosophical analysis of a selected topic in epistemology that articulates and critically evaluates the claims made.

Course Objectives

• 1. Identify the fundamental concepts and problems which determine the limits and/or extent of human knowledge.
• 2. Analyze different kinds of knowledge, i.e. a priori, a posteriori. Analyze issues arising regarding propositional knowledge.
• 3. Evaluate the sources of knowledge and their use in the relevant philosophical positions of rationalism, empiricism and pragmatism.
• 4. Evaluate unique problems regarding knowledge of persons.
• 5. Describe and evaluate the problem of other minds.
• 6. Identify and evaluate problems in belief, particularly with respect to propositional and dispositional issues.
• 7. Analyze the problem of justified true belief in all relevant theories.
• 8. Identify and analyze the role of evidence in the problems of knowledge.
• 9. Identify and analyze the conditions for determining what constitutes evidence, its certainty, probability.
• 10. Evaluate the problems of truth and justification.
• 11. 11. Compare and contrast the three major positions or schools of thought (rationalism, empiricism, pragmatism) with respect to: a. Sources of knowledge b. Concept acquisition c. Evidence or data d. Justification
• 12. 12. In Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant, analyze the following: a. Substance b. Mind or Self c. Form and Meaning d. Percept/Concept e. Doctrine of Innate Ideas f. Theory of Ideas
• 13. Analyze the problems of general representation and abstract ideas.
• 14. Analyze the problems of phenomenalism with respect to representation and justification.
• 15. Describe and evaluate the problem of synthetic a priori judgment
• 16. Evaluate the analytic/synthetic distinction in both the historical theorists (particularly Hume and Kant) and the contemporary views of Quine.

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Lecture Content

I. Fundamental Concepts and Problems                    A.  Origins of Knowledge: Sensation, Reason                    B.   Scope or Limits and Extent of Knowledge                    C.   Role of the Learned or Expert                    D.  Kinds of Knowledge and Their Differences                          1.   A Priori Knowledge                          2.   Empirical or a Posteriori Knowledge                          3.   Propositional Knowledge or Knowledge by Description                          4.   Knowledge by Acquaintance                          5.   Knowledge by Doing or by Performance                       nb   6.   Knowledge of Persons               II.  Problems in Belief                   A.  Propositional                    B.   Explanatory                    C.   Occurrent or Standing and Established Beliefs                    D.  Dispositional                    E.   Distinction in Type/Token               III.  Truth, Justification, and Evidence A.  Belief, Justified Belief, Justified True Belief B.   Historical and Contemporary Problems C.   Truth and Truth Conditions 1.   Correspondence Theory of Truth                          2.   Coherence Theory of Truth              IV.  Plato and the Rationalist School                    A.  Objections to Sense Perception as the Origin of Knowledge     ;                B.   Theory of the Forms (in The Republic, The Meno, The Phaedo, and The Theaetetus)                    C.   Other dialogues and critical literature as appropriate                    D.  Theory of Innate Ideas, in all appropriate dialogues                V.  Aristotle and the Empiricist School, in lecture, and readings as appropriate                    A.  Aristotles Objections to Platos Theory of the Forms                    B.   Basis of the Empiricist Argument                    C.   Doctrines of the Categories: Substance                          1.   Primary Substance                          2.   Secondary Substance                   b D.  Essences                    E.   Causation, Doctrine of Perception, and the Passive Aspects of Mind                    F.   Doctrine of Intellection and the Active Aspects of Mind              VI.  Descartes and Problems in Skepticism and Certainty                    A.  Objections to Sense Perception                          1.   Lunatic and Dreamer: First and Second Skeptical Arguments                          2.   Method of Doubt and Suspension of Judgment                    B.   Evil Genius Hypothesis and Reasoning                    C.   Proof of the Certainty of the Idea of the Self                                         D.  Proof of the Certainty of the Idea of God                          1.   Influence of Aristotle and Plato                          2.   Formal and Material Truths Distinguished                          3.   Formal and Objective Reality Distinguished                          4.   Substance, Modes, Attributes                          5.   Types of Ideas Distinguished                          6.   Foundation of the Idea of God, and                          7.   Justification of the Idealist Argument for Objective Evidence                    E.   Source of Error                    F.   Proof of the External World                    G.  Problems With the Cogito Argument                    H.  Mind/Body Problem   ize: 10px;">           VII.  Locke and British Empirical Thought                    A.  Opposition to the Doctrine of Innate Ideas                    B.   Doctrine of Mental and Material Substance                    C.   Theory of Ideas                          1.   Ideas of Sensation                          2.   Ideas of Reflection                          3.   Primary, Secondary, Tertiary Qualities Distinguished                    D.  Newtonian Framework                    E.   Lockes Definition of Knowledge and Its Different Kinds                    F.   Locke on Evidence, Demonstration, and Proof                          1.   Intuitive                           2.   Demonstrative                          3.   Probable                    G.  Locke on Causation and the Role of the External World in Epistemology                    H.  Locke on Justification and Truth                    I.    Locke on General and Abstract Ideas            VIII.  Berkeley and British Empirical Thought                    A.  Berkeley on General and Abstract Ideas                    B.   "Esse is percipi" and the Idealist in Berkeley                    C.   Significance of the Immediately Perceived                    D.  Berkeley on Lockes Theory of Substance                    E.   Berkeley on Primary and Secondary Qualities                    F. nb  Berkeleys Theory of Mind                    G.  Of God and Justification                    H.  Reaction to the Newtonian Framework                    I.    Types of Ideas; Ideas Distinguished from Minds              IX.  Hume and British Empirical Thought                    A.  Enlightened Skeptic                    B.   Philosopher of Human Nature                    C.   Impressions/Ideas Distinction                    D.  Force and Vivacity Criteria                    E.   Hume on Abstract Ideas                    F.   Justification                          1.   Relations of Ideas                          2.s p;  Matters of Fact                    G.  On Causation, Constant Conjunction and Experimental Inference                    H.  On Abstract Ideas and General Representation                X.  Kant and Critical Theory                    A.  Analytic a Priori, Synthetic a Posteriori Judgments Distinguished                    B.   Reaction to Hume on Science                    C.   On the Proof of Synthetic a Priori Judgments                    D.  On Mind                          1.   The Categories                          2.   The Pure Forms of Intuition                    E.   On Innate Ideas               s p;    F.   On Causation and the External World                    G.  Phenomenal/Noumenal Distinguished, and the Noumenal as a Limit Notion              XI.  Introduction to Contemporary Issues and Pragmatism                    A.  Historical Figures                          1.   William James: Knowing as a Pragmatic Process                          2.   John Dewey and Regulative Principles                                a    Choices between "operations performed" and "properties of objects"                                b.   Experimental Inference, Interpreted Phenomena, and the Mistake of Independent Entities                                c.   Operational definition                             ;    d.   On Justification and Difference                          3.   Clarence Irving Lewis and the Myth of the Given             XII.  Other Theorists at the Discretion of the Instructor: Bertrand Russell, Ludwig Wittgenstein, W.V. Quine, Donald Davidson, Richard Feldman, Alvin Goldman, Roderick Chisholm, Ernest Sosa, Hilary Putnam                     It is suggested that Edmund Gettier be read in conjunction with Platos problem of justified true belief.

Method(s) of Instruction

• Lecture (02)
• DE Live Online Lecture (02S)

Instructional Techniques

1. Lecture.              2.  Discussion of the problems of theory of knowledge and of the mind.              3.  Verbal and written analysis of student questions, the latter by way of chalkboard/overhead.              4.  Oral and written projects undertaken by the students, both individually and collectively, and to which the instructor will provide oral and written critique.              5.  Examinations (objective and essay).              6.  Auxiliary handout materials on course themes.

Reading Assignments

Students will spend on average 2-3 hours per week on assigned readings.

Writing Assignments

Students will spend on average 2 hours per week on: Brief topical papers, assigned in conjunction with oral analysis Written analyzes addressing the structure of philosophical  Comparative and critical analysis using more than one view or author

Out-of-class Assignments

Students will spend on average 2 hours per week on: Preparation of analyses and critiques of readings. Formal essays

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

1.  Brief topical papers, assigned in conjunction with oral analysis.              2.  Written analyzes addressing the structure of philosophical arguments.              3.  Comparative and critical analysis using more than one view or author.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

1.  Brief topical papers, assigned in conjunction with oral analysis.              2.  Written analyzes addressing the structure of philosophical arguments.              3.  Adequate research and resource materials from the library used to supplement assigned texts and materials.              4.  Comparative and critical analysis using more than one view or author.

Eligible Disciplines

Philosophy: Masters degree in philosophy OR bachelors degree in philosophy AND masters degree in humanities or religious studies, OR the equivalent. Masters degree required.

Textbooks Resources

1. Required Moser, P., Van der Nat, A.. Human Knowledge: Classical and Contemporary Approaches, ed. Oxford University Press, 2003 Rationale: . 2. Required Audi, R.. Epistemology: A Contemporary Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge, ed. Chicago: Routledge, 2012 Rationale: . 3. Required Plato. Theaetetus, ed. Cambridge, 2006 Rationale: .