EPISTEMOLOGY
Tihamér Margitay, Zsolt Ziegler and Gábor Forgács
margitay@filozofia.bme.hu, batajba@gmail.com, forgacsg@gmail.com
Dept. of Philosophy and the History of Science
www.filozofia.bme.hu
1, Objectives:
The purpose of this course is to make you able to
 understand and analyze epistemological theories.
 use the concepts and arguments of this field properly.
 combine epistemological views with other approaches to cognition.
2, Program:
MT
ZZS
ZZs
FG
ZZs
Introduction. Main problems and concepts of epistemology.
Dancy, Jonathan: An Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology, Blackwell,
1985., 7-23.
Gettier, Edmund (1963): “Is justified true belief knowledge?”, Analysis 23/6,
121-123.
Introduction to phenomenology. Phenomenology and cognitive science.
Shaun Gallagher, Dan Zahavi: The Phenomenological Mind. An Introduction to
Philosophy of Mind and Cognitive Science, Routledge, 2008., 1-46.
Perception. Objects of perception. The argument form illusion. Indirect realism,
representationalism, sense data theory. Phenomenalism. Direct realism. Problems
with direct realism. Primary and secondary qualities. Causal theory of perception.
Dancy, J.: An Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology, Blackwell, 1985., 143183.
“Perception, Objects of”. http://www.iep.utm.edu/perc-obj/
Induction. Knowledge of inductive generalizations. Enumerative and statistical
induction. Hume's problem of induction. Goodman's new riddle of induction. Natural
laws and their justification.
Dancy, J.: An Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology, Blackwell, 1985., 197212.
Foundationalist theories of knowledge. Basic beliefs. Incorrigible appearance beliefs.
Problems with foundationalism.
Dancy, Jonathan: An Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology, Blackwell,
1985., 53-66.
Schlick, Moritz: “On the Foundation of Knowledge” („Über das Fundament der
Erkenntnis”) In Philosophical Papers, vol II. (1925-1936), ed. H. Mulder and
Barbara van de Velde-Schlick, D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dortrecht, 1979.,
370-388.
Revision
1
FG
FG
Coherence theory and holism. The coherence theory of justification. The coherence
theory of truth. Problems with coherentism.
Dancy, J.: An Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology, Blackwell, 1985., 97127.
John L. Pollock, Joseph Cruz: Contemporary theories of knowledge (2. ed.),
Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, USA, 1999., 66-80.
Externalist theories of justification. Reliabilism. Response to scepticism from a
reliabilist viewpoint.
Dancy, J.: An Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology, Blackwell, 1985., 3136; 46-49.
Brandom, R. Insights and Blightspots of Reliabilism Articulating Reasons:
An Introduction to Inferentialism: Harvard University Press. 2000 107-132
ZZs
FG
MT
MT
Epistemic norms. Intellectualist model of knowing. Truths of reason. A priori
knowledge. Problems with analytic-synthetic distinction.
Dancy, J.: An Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology, Blackwell, 1985., 212227.
Audi, Robert: Epistemology. A Contemporary Introduction to the Theory of
Knowledge (2. ed.), Routledge, 2003, 93-119.
SPORTNAP
Naturalized epistemology. Criticism of naturalized epistemology.
Dancy, J.: An Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology, Blackwell, 1985., 233243.
Dupré, John: Human nature and the limits of science, Oxford University Press,
2001, 1-44.
Social epistemology, sociology of knowledge. Bloor's strong programme as
naturalized epistemology. Problems of strong programme.
Bloor, David: Knowledge and Social Imagery, Routledge, 1976, 1-74. o.
Realism, anti-realism, relativism, pragmatism, conventionalism.
Rorty, Richard: “Pragmatism, Relativism, Irrationalism”, In Consequences of
pragmatism (Essays 1972-1980), University of Minnesota Press, 1982., 160-176.
Revision
Readings are available from http://server.filozofia.bme.hu/library/ (user: pw:)
3, Requirements:
 No classroom seminars will be provided. Students do the readings and learn from the ppts at
home and can get help from the tutor of the topic by appointment.
 You should read the mandatory readings carefully.
 Essay (50%): 3-5 pages, on one of the topics discussed, to be negotiated with the tutor of the
topic
 Written exam (50%)
2