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PHIL 1301

Mind, World, and Knowledge

0.5 credit · Undergraduate

Introduction to a variety of philosophical works, including contemporary, on such topics as: the nature of being, the mental, the external, consciousness, perception, experience, meaning, truth, the nature of knowledge, scientific understanding, and how language and thought represent the world.

Topics

Course catalogue

2021

Readings

  • Chomsky, N., 1966, Cartesian Linguistics: A Chapter in the History of Rationalist Thought, Harper & Row, New York
  • Descartes: God and His Existence Primary reading: Descartes, Meditation 3 6. Leibniz: Mind, Knowledge, and Ideas and 4 Primary reading: Leibniz, New Essays,
  • Descartes, Meditation 3 6. Leibniz: Mind, Knowledge, and Ideas and 4 Primary reading: Leibniz, New Essays, Secondary reading: Cottingham, ch. 3 Introduction and ch. 1
  • McGilvray, ch. 2, ch. 3 (eds.), Chomsky and His Critics: Lycan’s article (ch. 1) + Chomsky’s reply
  • Universal Grammar Secondary reading: Cottingham, ch. 5 Primary reading: Arnauld & Nicole, Port Royal Grammar 11. The Poverty of the Stimulus Argument Chomsky, Cartesian Linguistics Primary reading: Chomsky, New Horizons,
  • Res Cogitans and Dualism Primary reading: Descartes’ Meditations, 12. Language Origins and Development Fourth set of Objections (Arnauld) + Primary reading: Chomsky, New Horizons,
  • Descartes’ Reply ch. 3, ch. 5 Chomsky, New Horizons, ch. 4 Secondary reading: Calvin & Bickerton, Secondary reading: Cottingham, ch. 5 Lingua ex Machina
  • Arnauld & Nicole, Port Royal Grammar 11. The Poverty of the Stimulus Argument Chomsky, Cartesian Linguistics Primary reading: Chomsky, New Horizons, Secondary reading: McGilwray, ch. 2, ch. 3 ch. 6, ch. 7
  • Descartes’ Meditations, 12. Language Origins and Development Fourth set of Objections (Arnauld) + Primary reading: Chomsky, New Horizons, Descartes’ Reply ch. 3, ch. 5
  • Chomsky, New Horizons, ch. 4 Secondary reading: Calvin & Bickerton, Secondary reading: Cottingham, ch. 5 Lingua ex Machina

Prerequisites & course information

Precludes additional credit for PHIL 1006 (no longer offered), PHIL 1501 (no longer offered). Lectures three hours per week.

Sources