161-041 Epistemology and Metaphysics

Note

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

Admission to the Postgraduate Diploma or Fourth Year Honours in Philosophy.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

This subject is an in-depth examination of one or more works of great philosophers of the past which deal with problems in epistemology and/or metaphysics. Precisely how the problems are dealt with will vary with the text/s chosen but the issues to be considered will include: What is knowledge? Is it possible? If it is possible, what is it knowledge of? What is the world? What is it to be an object? What does it mean to be? Students will also consider the nature of space and time; the relationship between the mind and the world; and between language and the world. On completion of the subject students should have the ability to interpret a major text from the history of philosophy, to critically compare and assess conflicting interpretations of a text, and to discuss a text from the history of philosophy in the light of current philosophical problems, arguments and theories. This year's great philosopher of the past is W V Quine; we will look particularly at his From a Logical Point of View and Word and Object (and a few papers published elsewhere).

Assessment

Written work totalling 5000 words.