Epistemology

Students in this course will explore various theories of knowledge which form the basis of the branch of philosophy known as epistemology. These classical and contemporary theories include empiricism, realism, idealism and constructivism. Using the groundbreaking works of renowned philosophers, such as Plato, René Descartes, David Hume, William James, Immanuel Kant, Richard Rorty and Edmund Gettier, students will reflect on the main questions posed by the authors and examine the problem of what we know as well as how we know it. They will learn about the essential but challenging distinctions between perceptual and conceptual knowledge and develop skills in analyzing argument-based and problem-oriented texts. This course is mainly lecture-based, but it also includes a collaborative problem-based learning approach where students are expected to participate in classroom discussions and present on course-related topics of their choice.