180169 VO Introduction to Epistemology (2020W)

The lectures will give a general introduction into epistemology, with a special emphasis on the epistemology of perception and the epistemology of memory. Basic conceptions and positions in epistemology will be presented: internalism and externalism, foundationalism and coherentism, reliabilism, contextualism, relativism and skepticism. After a presentation of these general positions in epistemology, we will discuss their consequences in the field of the epistemology of perception and the epistemology of memory. Perception and memory are basic sources of knowledge. Whether perception can justify our beliefs and give us knowledge will depend on the conception of perception we adopt. The different classical theories of perception will be presented and their epistemological consequences will be analysed. The following theories of perception will be discussed in relation to epistemology: phenomenalism, the sense data theory, indirect realism, the adverbial theory, the representational theory of perception, disjunctivism and direct realism. Concerning the epistemology of memory, we will also discuss the central positions of this field: preservationism, generationism, skepticism.

The aim of the lectures is also to make students familiar with the basic concepts of epistemology, the epistemology of perception and memory: intentionality, propositional content, justification, evidence, acquaintance etc. A special emphasis of the lectures will be put on contemporary issues in the epistemology of perception: Do perceptual states have a propositional content as do our beliefs (representationalism)? Do we stand in a direct relation to the objects and properties of our environment (direct realism)? Which properties of the world can we actually perceive (rich content vs. sparse content)? Can we perceive causes, dispositions, natural kinds or emotions, or only more basic properties like colors, shapes, sounds? Answers to these questions are immediately relevant for epistemology: how can beliefs (which have propositional content) be justified, if perceptual states have no propositional content? How can we know individual, singular objects, if maybe we do not stand in direct contact to them?
The lectures shall give the students the necessary intellectual instruments in order to understand such contemporary issues in epistemology.

Method:
The lectures will give an introductory overview of epistemology. No previous knowledge in epistemology is required. Each session will be dedicated to a central position in the field and will discuss its main arguments. Each session will be concluded by a brief general discussion of the presented topics.