Epistemology
Code: 100311 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Philosophy | OB | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Olga Fernandez Prat
- Email:
- olga.fernandez@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
None.
Objectives and Contextualisation
Epistemology is that branch of philosophy which is concerned with issues about the nature and extent of what we know. In this course, we will explore a number of its central questions: What is it, exactly, to know something? Why, if at all, should we value knowledge? How should we respond to skeptical arguments? Which are the obstacles that prevent us from knowledge?
Competences
- Act within one's own area of knowledge, evaluating sex/gender-based inequalities.
- Analysing and summarising the main arguments of fundamental texts of philosophy in its various disciplines.
- Placing the most representative philosophical ideas and arguments of a period in their historical background and relating the most important authors of each period of any philosophical discipline.
- Recognising and interpreting topics and problems of philosophy in its various disciplines.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
- Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
- Thinking in a critical and independent manner on the basis of the specific topics, debates and problems of philosophy, both historically and conceptually.
- Using the symbology and procedures of the formal sciences in the analysis and building of arguments.
Learning Outcomes
- Ability to maintain an appropriate conversation.
- Analyse the sustainability indicators of the academic and professional activities in this field, integrating the social, economic and environmental dimensions.
- Autonomously searching, selecting and processing information both from structured sources (databases, bibliographies, specialized magazines) and from across the network.
- Carrying out a planning for the development of a subject-related work.
- Carrying out oral presentations using an appropriate academic vocabulary and style.
- Correctly, accurately and clearly communicating the acquired philosophical knowledge in oral and written form.
- Demonstrating a personal stance over a problem or controversy of philosophical nature, or a work of philosophical research.
- Distinguishing and outlining the fundamental content of a philosophical text.
- Documenting a philosophical issue and contrasting its sources.
- Effectively communicating and applying the argumentative and textual processes to formal and scientific texts.
- Engaging in debates about philosophical issues respecting the other participants' opinions.
- Expressing both orally and in written form, the issues and basic problems of the philosophical tradition.
- Formulating arguments for and against an issue, using proper vocabulary, conceptual precision and argumentative coherence.
- Identifying the main ideas of a related text and drawing a diagram.
- Leading working groups, overseeing collective tasks and working with commitment in order to bring together various positions.
- Producing an individual work that specifies the work plan and timing of activities.
- Reading basic philosophical text thoroughly.
- Recognise and define the common thinking present in a multidisciplinary context.
- Recognising and using the several forms of reasoning in the history of philosophy.
- Relating several ideas of the current philosophical debates.
- Relating the various orders of the philosophical ideas of different authors and historical moments.
- Solving problems autonomously.
- Submitting works in accordance with both individual and small group demands and personal styles.
- Summarising the topics and arguments exposed in a classical philosophical debate.
- Using specialized knowledge acquired in an interdisciplinary context when debating.
- Using suitable terminology when drawing up an academic text.
Content
1. Clarification of the notion of knowledge:
1.1. Knowledge, opinion, conjecture.
1.2. Belief, truth and justification.
1.2.1. Truth and criterium of truth.
1.2.2. Truth and certainty: scepticism and relativism.
2. Obstacles to knowledge.
3. Epistemic injustice.
4. Epistemic virtues and vices.
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Discussion in class of required readings. | 10 | 0.4 | 3, 8, 12, 10, 26, 13, 14, 17, 1, 23, 20, 21, 22, 24 |
| Lectures. | 45 | 1.8 | 3, 12, 10, 26, 13, 14, 17, 1, 22 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Preparation of presentations/written papers. | 23 | 0.92 | 3, 8, 4, 12, 10, 26, 13, 14, 17, 1, 23, 20, 21, 24 |
| Resolution of doubts. | 20 | 0.8 | 8, 4, 12, 10, 13, 14, 17, 1, 20, 21, 22, 24 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Required and supplementary readings. | 30 | 1.2 | 3, 8, 16, 4, 26, 14, 17, 20, 21, 22, 24 |
The directed activities follow the methodology of the learning based on the approach and the resolution of problems. There are two types of activities:
a) Lectures and discussion of problems related to the subject.
b) Argumentation practice in the classroom through the programmed readings. The student will have to read texts that will be discussed in such a way that the main ideas and the internal relations of the text are captured. Participation in class will be encouraged so that the student acquires the assigned competences.
The theoretical and practical classes will alternate throughout the course.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test and/or short answer (First part) | 35% | 1.5 | 0.06 | 3, 8, 9, 4, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24 |
| Test and/or short answer (Second part) | 35% | 1.5 | 0.06 | 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 4, 12, 10, 26, 13, 14, 17, 23, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24 |
| Written exam of mandatory readings. | 30% | 19 | 0.76 | 2, 3, 6, 25, 7, 8, 9, 16, 4, 12, 10, 5, 26, 13, 14, 15, 17, 1, 11, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24 |
Continuous evaluation:
The continuous evaluation will be based on (i) the mark obtained in a test type and / or short answer of the first part of the course (35% of the final grade), (ii) the mark obtained in a test type and / or short answer of the second part of the course (35% of the final grade), (iii) the mark obtained in an exam on the compulsory readings (30% of the final grade).
It is possible that the Philosophy Department will establish (as was done during the first semester) a period of concentration for evaluation tests. The teaching staff will indicate whether there is such a period or what the dates of the tests are at the beginning of each subject.
So that the student can schedule the course well, on the first day of class the teacher will post a calendar on the Virtual Campus with the most important dates of the course (exams, assignment submission, etc.).
The exam dates will be communicated in the Moodle calendar with enough time. Students who for ANY reason cannot attend the tests during the course, will do the recovery exam directly. The recovery exam will take place between June 25 and July 5. There will be no alternative re-evaluation dates.
At the time of each evaluation activity, the teacher will inform the students (Moodle) of the procedure and date of review of the grades.
Spell checking will be evaluated. The repetition of spelling or grammatical errors (minimum four) will mean a penalty of 10% of the mark of the test performed.
In the event that the student commits any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade of an evaluation act, this evaluation act will be graded with 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that may be instructed. In the event of several irregularities in the evaluation acts of the same subject, the final grade of this subject willbe 0.
This subject entirely prohibits the use of AI technologies in all of its activities. Any submitted work that contains content generated using AI will be considered academic dishonesty; the corresponding grade will be awarded a zero, without the possibility of reassessment. In cases of greater infringement, more serious action may be taken.
The student will receive the grade of "Not evaluable" provided that he has not delivered more than 1/3 of the evaluation activities.
The recoverable tests are (i), (ii) and (iii) and will have the same format and weightas the tests of the course (35%, 35%, 30%).
Single assessment:
The single assessment will be based on (i) the mark obtained in a test type test and/or short answer of the first part of the course (35% of the final grade), (ii) the mark obtained in atest type and/or short answer of the second part of the course (35% of the final grade), (iii) the mark obtained in an exam on the compulsory readings (30%).
Spell checking will be evaluated. The repetition of spelling or grammatical errors (minimum four) will mean a penalty of 10% of the mark of the test performed.
In the event that the student commits any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade of an evaluation act, this evaluation act will be graded with 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that may be instructed. In the event of several irregularities in the evaluation acts of the same subject, the final grade of this subject will be 0.
The student will receive the grade of "Not evaluable" provided that he has not delivered more than 1/3 of the evaluation activities.
The same recovery system will be applied as for the continuous evaluation. Thus, three tests will be carried out with a weight of (35%, 35% and 30%).
Bibliography
1. Textbooks:
J.BLASCO and T. GRIMALTOS, Introducció a la teoria del coneixement, València: Pretextos, 2ª edició revisada i ampliada en castellà: Publicacions Unviersitat de València, 2004.
D. QUESADA, Saber, opinión y ciencia. Una introducción a la teoría del conocimiento clásica y contemporánea. (a new edition will be published at the beginning of the course).
2. Consultation.
P. Boghossian, Fear of Knowledge; Against Relativism and Constructivism, Oxford University Press, 2007.
J. Dancy, E. Sosa and J. Turri (eds.), A Companion to Epistemology, Oxford, Blackwell, 1994.
M. Fricker, Epistemic Injustice: Power and the Ethics of Knowing, Oxford University Press, 2007.
J. Greco and E. Sosa (eds.), The Blackwell Guide to Epistemology, Wiley-Blackwell, 1999.
M. Steup, J. Turri and E. Sosa (eds.), Contemporary Debates in Epistemology, Wiley-Blackwell, 2013.
E. Sosa, Virtue Epistemology, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2007.
3. Web links:
http://plato.stanford.edu/
Software
It is not necessary.
Groups and Languages
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (TE) Theory | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |