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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2015/2016

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences : Philosophy

Postgraduate Course: Advanced Epistemology (Online) (PHIL11136)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate)
Course typeOnline Distance Learning AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThe course is aimed at offering a selection of cutting-edge topics within social epistemology such as;

Epistemology of testimony: What is the epistemic status of belief generated by accepting testimony? Under what conditions is testimonial knowledge defeated. What is the proper role for expert testimony in society? How does the epistemology of testimony relate to classical epistemological discussions such as the internalism-externalism debate?

Epistemology of disagreement and diversity. What is an epistemic peer? What is the epistemically rational response to epistemic peer disagreement? What is the difference between epistemic disagreement and epistemic diversity? Is epistemic diversity epistemically beneficial?

Epistemic injustice. What are the distinctively epistemic forms of injustice? How epistemologies of race and gender contribute to the understanding of epistemic injustice? How do issues concerning epistemic injustice relate to the issues pertaining to testimony, disagreement and diversity?
Course description Teaching will commence the week commencing 18th January 2016.

As the central issues are discussed we will consider the appropriate methodology for doing so as well as the relationship between epistemology and a broader set of social issues.

Students on this course would ordinarily be expected to have successfully completed the corresponding Epistemology course (PHIL11131).
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Epistemology (Online) (PHIL11131)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements Students must have passed Epistemology (PHIL11131) or equivalent during their previous studies at another institution before taking this course.
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2015/16, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 2
Course Start Date 11/01/2016
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Online Activities 20, Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2, Revision Session Hours 2, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 172 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 85 %, Practical Exam 15 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Students are assessed by a 2500 word essay at the end of the semester (85%) and successful participation in the on-line activities associated with the course (15%).

Essay deadline: Thursday 21st April 2016 by 12 noon.
Word limit: 2500 words maximum
Return deadline: Friday 13th May 2016

Feedback Students have the opportunity to submit a formative essay by week 6 deadline on Turnitin via Learn. The essay cannot be draft of summative essay but it can be on the same topic.

Formative essay deadline: Thursday 25th February 2016 by 12 noon
Return deadline: Friday 18th March 2016
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. have a grasp of central issues, views and concepts in social epistemology.
  2. critically analyse and engage with the contemporary literature in epistemology and connect it to broader social issues.
  3. appreciate how empirical work can and cannot support philosophical arguments, and be able to use empirical data in their essays and arguments.
  4. present arguments clearly and concisely both within a classroom and in a 2,500 word essay.
  5. acquire transferable skills in research, analysis and argumentation.
Reading List
Testimony:
Lecture 1
Fricker, Elizabeth (1994). Against Gullibility. Chap. 58 in Epistemology - An anthology, 2nd edition, (Eds. Sosa, Kim, Fantl & McGrath). Wiley Blackwell

Lecture 2
Lackey, Jennifer (2006). Learning from words. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 73 (1):77-101.*

Lecture 3
Goldman, Alvin I. (2001). Experts: Which Ones Should You trust? Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 63, (1): 85-110.*

Disagreement and Diversity:
Lecture 4
Christensen, David (2007). Epistemology of disagreement: The good news. Philosophical Review 116 (2):187-217.*

Lecture 5.
Jennifer Lackey (2008). A justificationist view of disagreement's epistemic significance. In A. Millar A. Haddock & D. Pritchard (eds.), Social Epistemology. OUP: 145-154.

Lecture 6
Goldman, Alvin. (2010). Epistemic Relativism and Reasonable Disagreement. In Feldman and Warfield (eds.), Disagreement (Oxford: Oxford University Press).

Lecture 7
Christensen, David (2014). Disagreement and Public Controversy. In Jennifer Lackey (ed.), Essays in Collective Epistemology. Oxford University Press

Epistemic Injustice and the Epistemology of Race and Gender:
Lecture 8
Maitra, Ishani (2010). The nature of epistemic injustice. Philosophical Books 51 (4):195-211.

Lecture 9
Fricker, Miranda (2013). Epistemic justice as a condition of political freedom? Synthese 190 (7): 1317-1332.

Lecture 10
Dotson, Kristie (2011). Tracking Epistemic Violence, Tracking Practices of Silencing. Hypatia 26 (2): 236-257.

Lecture 11
Michaelian, Kourken (2008). Privileged standpoints/ reliable processes. Hypatia 23 (1):65-98.

The full reading list, including background reading, is available on Learn.










Additional Information
Course URL Please see Learn
Graduate Attributes and Skills Research, analysis and argumentation.
Additional Class Delivery Information This course is only for online MSc/Dip/Cert Epistemology, Ethics and Mind students.

The course is taught by Dr Mikkel Gerken.
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserDr Mikkel Gerken
Tel: (0131 6)51 5172
Email: mgerken@exseed.ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Lynsey Buchanan
Tel: (0131 6)51 5002
Email: Lynsey.Buchanan@ed.ac.uk
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