PHIL 350 Epistemology and Metaphysics

Syllabus

Ticket number 13539

Tues & Thurs 4:00 - 5:40 PM

Sierra Hall 190

Prerequisites:

Completion of the lower division writing requirement and 3 units of philosophy

Contact information:

Professor Cindy Stern	Email: cindy.stern@csun.edu (818) 677-4853, Sierra Tower 508 Office hours: Tu Th 9:30 - 10:30 AM and 2:00 - 2:30 PM
Philosophy Department	(818) 677-2757, Sierra Tower 522 and 524

Catalogue description:

An examination of traditional epistemological problems with attention to major positions such as empiricism and rationalism and with attention to related metaphysical topics such as causality, space and time, substance, and possible worlds. Will also include regular sessions on philosophical writing and methodology. Regular written assignments will be required.

Topics covered:

Epistemological issues including

• perception and reason as sources of justification and knowledge
• the structure and growth of justification and knowledge
  (including questions about inference and the problem of induction)
• the nature and scope of justification and knowledge

Metaphysical issues that are closely related to epistemological issues, including

• metaphysical realism
• causation

Required texts:

• Epistemology: Contemporary Readings, edited by Michael Huemer. Routledge, 2002. ISBN 978-0-415-25921-7
• Additional required readings will be available online. Some may be placed on reserve at Oviatt Library.

Recommended texts:

• Morton, Adam. A Guide through the Theory of Knowledge. Wiley-Blackwell, 2002. ISBN 978-1-4051-0012-0.
• Seech, Zachary. Writing Philosophy Papers. 4th or 5th edition. Wadsworth Publishing.
  4th edition (2003) ISBN-10: 0534585272, ISBN-13: 9780534585273;
  5th edition (2009) ISBN-10: 0495506842, ISBN-13: 9780495506843.
• Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 7th edition. The University of Chicago Press, 2007.
  ISBN-10 0-226-82337-7, ISBN-13 978-0-226-82337-9.

Schedule of reading assignments:

http://www.csun.edu/~hcphi003/PHIL350/schedule.html

Course requirements and methods of evaluation:

Requirements:

• Students are expected to participate in discussion of the reading material on the date for which it is assigned.
• Short writing assignments
• Midterm paper (thesis statement followed by paper
• Term paper (issue statement, thesis statement, draft, and final paper)

Evaluation:

• Plus-minus grades will be used.
• Required work will be weighted as follows in determining course grade:

  	Attendance and participation in discussion	10%
  	Short writing assignments	30%
  	Midterm paper (thesis statement and paper)	20%
  	Term paper (issue statement,thesis statement and outline, draft, and final paper)	40%

Academic integrity:

The University is a community with learning as its central purpose. Both the unity of the community and the activity of learning depend upon academic integrity. As a result, I take academic integrity and its breaches seriously.

Students can expect discovery of a violation to result in the filing of a Student Misconduct Complaint with the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.

For information on what constitutes academic dishonesty and on the possible repercussions of and penalties for acts of academic dishonesty, consult the CSUN Student Conduct Code in the University Catalog or at http://www.csun.edu/a&r/soc/studentconduct.html..
For details on plagiarism and how to avoid it, see http://library.csun.edu/Research_Assistance/plagiarism.html.

Special needs (such interpreters, note takers, or testing services):

Students with special needs should work with the Center on Disabilities and should inform me of any accommodations that may be required.

Last modified January 28, 2009.