85002 - Philosophy of Knowledge (2)

Academic Year 2022/2023

  • Docente: Giorgio Volpe
  • Credits: 6
  • SSD: M-FIL/01
  • Language: Italian
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Philosophy (cod. 9216)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course you will be familiar with some of the main views which are at the centre of current debates on such topics as the nature of knowledge, the structure of epistemic justification and the sceptical paradoxes. Besides, you will have built up an ability to reconstruct and critically evaluate the arguments offered in support of competing epistemological views.

Course contents

You will be introduced to some of the main debates in contemporary epistemology. The focus will be on the way in which a variety of contextual and pragmatic factors appear to affect knowledge attributions and knowledge possession (10 hours), on genealogical and empirical approaches to knowledge (10 hours), and on the acquisition of testimony-based knowledge (10 hours).

This is an intermediate course, which presupposes some familiarity with the discipline: it is not recommended to those students who have not previously taken an introductory course in epistemology.

Readings/Bibliography

Compulsory reading:

Excerpts from:

K. DeRose, Contextualism and Knowledge Attributions, “Philosophy and Phenomenological Research” 52/4 (1992), pp. 913-929.

J. Schaffer, From Contextualism to Contrastivism, “Philosophical Studies” 119 (2004), pp. 73-103.

J. Stanley, Knowledge and Practical Interests, Clarendon, Oxford 2005, Introduzione e cap. 5.

J. McFarlane, The Assessment Sensitivity of Knowledge Attributions, “Oxford Studies in Epistemology” 1 (2005), pp. 197-233.

E. Craig, Knowledge and the State of Nature, Clarendon, Oxford 1990, sezz. I-II.

M. Kusch e R. McKenna, The Genealogical Method in Epistemology, “Synthese” 197 (2020) pp. 1057-1076.

J. Knobe e S. Nichols, An Experimental Philosophy Manifesto, in J. Knobe and S. Nichols (eds), Experimental Philosophy, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2008, pp. 3-14.

D. Rose et al., Nothing at Stake in Knowledge, “Nous” 53/1 (2019), 224-247.

E. Fricker, Against Gullibility, in A. Chakrabarti and B.K. Matilal (eds), Knowing from Words, Kluwer, Dordrecht 1994, pp. 125-161.

S. Goldberg e D. Henderson, Monitoring and Anti-Reductionism in the Epistemology of Testimony, “Philosophy and Phenomenological Research” 73/3 (2006), pp. 600-617.

J. Lackey, It Takes Two to Tango: Beyond Reductionism and Non-Reductionism in the Epistemology of Testimony, in J. Lackey and E. Sosa (eds), The Epistemology of Testimony, Clarendon, Oxford 2006, pp. 160-189.

N.B.: An Italian translation of these texts will be available in a forthcoming reader in epistemology, edited by Neri Marsili, Daniele Sgaravatti and Giorgio Volpe.

 

Suggested reading:

K. DeRose, Come risolvere il problema scettico, in C. Calabi et al. (a cura di), Teorie della conoscenza, Cortina, Milano 2015, pp. 295-318.

D. Lewis, Elusive Knowledge, “Australasian Journal of Philosophy”, 74 (1996), pp. 549-567.

T. Piazza, Che cos'è la conoscenza, Carocci, Roma 2017, pp. 1-102.

C. Wright, A Plague on All Your Houses: Some Reflections on the Variable Behaviour of 'Knows', in A. Coliva et al. (a cura di), Eva Picardi on Language, Analysis and History, Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 357-383.

N.B. Piazza's book is compulsory reading for students who have never taken an epistemology (Philosophy of knowledge) course before.

(Wherever available, you can read the English texts instead of the Italian translations listed above).

 

Students not attending lectures:

DeRose's article is compulsory reading for students not attending lectures.

Teaching methods

Fifteen two hours lectures will be delivered by the teacher in the first term of the second semester. The first five lectures will address the way in which a variety of contextual and pragmatic factors appear to affect knowledge attributions and knowledge possession; the next five lectures will address genealogical and empirical approaches to knowledge; and the remaining lectures will address the acquisition of testimony-based knowledge. Students will be encouraged to contribute to whole class discussions.

Attendance to lectures is warmly recommended: it is the best way to become familiar with the background and tools that are necessary to understand the texts and the only way to contribute to whole class discussions. However, the lectures' recordings will be available for download on Virtuale.

Assessment methods

Oral examination. The viva will assess whether you have achieved the learning outcomes of the course. You will need to show that you have become acquainted with the relevant epistemological views and that you have acquired the notions and the terminological and conceptual competence required to understand contemporary debates on the role of contextual and pragmatic factors in knowledge attributions and knowledge possession, on genealogical and empirical approaches to knowledge, and on the acquisition of testimony-based knowledge.

 

Grade assessment criteria

Grade range below 18 – Fail. Poor knowledge of core material, a significant inability to engage with the discipline. Very poor presentation.

Grade range 18-21 – Pass. Limited and superficial knowledge of the subject, a significant inability to follow the thread of the discussion. Presentation with many inadequacies.

Grade range 21-23 – Adequate. The knowledge is superficial, but the thread of the discussion has been consistently grasped. Presentation with some inadequacies.

Grade range 24-26 – Acceptable. Elementary knowledge of the key principles and concepts. The presentation is occasionally weak.

Grade range 27-29 – Good. Comprehensive knowledge. Good presentation.

30 – Very Good. Detailed knowledge with hints of critical thinking. Very good presentation.

30 cum laude – Outstanding. Excellent knowledge and depth of understanding. Excellent presentation.

During the viva you will not be allowed to use any written material, either on paper or in electronic format.

Teaching tools

The teacher will occasionally distribute handouts and project slides. The material will then be made available through Virtuale.

Office hours

See the website of Giorgio Volpe