Epistemology (Fall 2009)
PHI 4311 TT 9:30-10:45

This course begins with two central questions from Plato about knowledge: what is its nature and why is it valuable? The tension between these two questions leads directly to some of the central topics in the history of epistemology: skepticism, the nature of truth, the nature of justification, including the debates between foundationalists and coherentists and between externalists and internalists, and the Gettier problem. Each topic will be discussed from the point of view of whether it is possible to construct a theory of knowledge that can answer both of Plato's questions.

Philosophical Writing (Fall 2009)
PHI 4319 Tuesday 2-5

The topic of the course is in the philosophy of religion, with significant amounts of epistemology and metaphysics and ethics as they arise in the articles in the collection of essays for the course. This course has as its goal mastering the art of writing a critical essay in philosophy, an essential skill for success in graduate school in philosophy and for publication success after securing a position in philosophy.  The course material is simply a convenient vehicle for achieving this goal.

As such, this course is appropriate for first-year graduate students in philosophy and senior philosophy majors who plan on going to graduate school in philosophy next year. Others will find the demands of the course disproportionate to the benefits that could be gleaned by taking it (it should be noted in this regard that this course is no longer required of philosophy majors in light of the significant re-design of the course). For those planning a career in philosophy, the skills in question are indispensable for their graduate careers and professional careers to follow.