This course examines the development of epistemology in the Western philosophical tradition with a particular focus on modern epistemology. Themes such as epistemic justification, rationality, faith, skepticism, foundationalism, postmodernity, and truth are central to this course, as are the religious epistemologies of Christian philosophers Richard Swinburne and Alvin Plantinga.
Prerequisites:
The Story of Philosophy (PHL‑121);
Logic (PHL‑122)
The Story of Philosophy
PHL‑121
“Philosophy,” according to Socrates, “begins with wonder.” In this course, we will survey fundamental metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical issues raised by this “story that began with wonder,” starting with the quest of the ancient Egyptians, Indians, and Chinese and then moving on to the ‘Big Questions’ asked by the ancient Greeks, medieval Christians, and other modern and contemporary Western thinkers.
Logic
PHL‑122
This course introduces students to logic–both deduction and induction–and develops critical thinking skills in relation to arguments and their evaluation. Students will examine the role of worldview in relation to logic and arguments and learn to compose cogent written arguments. The course will cover such topics as the importance of language, logical fallacies, sources of authority, and elementary philosophical concepts and categories.
