Department of Philosophy

This course aims to introduce students to philosophy by investigating
some basic and perennial problems in epistemology, concerning knowledge and justified belief. We will be considering the conditions for knowledge and justified belief, and whether the sceptic is right to claim that we have little of either or both. The course will begin by considering the relation between knowledge and justified belief, and different accounts that have been given of each. We will then focus on the attempts that have been made to show the sceptic that our epistemic resources (such as perception, and inductive reasoning) are adequate to provide us with knowledge and/or justified belief about such things as external objects and other minds; The success of these attempts will be critically assessed.

Lecturer: Paul Faulkner

Lectures: Autumn Semester