Syllabus
Meeting:
Time: Mondays, 7pm-9.50pm
Location: Harper 55 (Treanor Room)
Instructor:
Masahiro Yamada (page at CGU)
email: masahiro.yamada@cgu.edu
phone: 909.607.0471
Office Hours: Tuesdays 10-12 or by appointment (Office 3, Blaisdell House, 143 East 10th Street)
Course Description:
This is a graduate level introductory course to epistemology. We will begin with Descartes' Meditations and move on to discuss issues that are raised by Descartes' thoughts. Readings will draw from contemporary philosophers working in the field.
Reading material:
All material will be made available for download. See the readings page.Weekly Requirements:
Participation is expected and encouraged. Occasionally (often), the reading assignment for the week will be accompanied by some questions on the reading. Students are expected to be able to present their thoughts on the questions in class.
Papers:
Students are required to write two papers. The first is due at the beginning of class of week 9. The final is due TBA. All deadlines are strict. For the firstpaper, students will be given a choice of topics. For the final paper, students should pick a recent article dealing with one of the issues covered and critically discuss it. Students must consult with the instructor before proceeding with the paper.
Grading Policy:
In order to pass this course, a student must submit two papers. Once both papers are submitted, a raw grade will be determined as the average of the two. This raw grade will then be tweaked up or down depending on: change of performance over the semester, participation.
