Universität Wien

180173 SE Rethinking Naturalism (2015W)

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 18 - Philosophie
Continuous assessment of course work

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 30 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Monday 05.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Monday 12.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Monday 19.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Monday 09.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Monday 16.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Monday 23.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Monday 30.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Monday 07.12. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Monday 14.12. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Monday 11.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Monday 18.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Monday 25.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

This course focuses upon a specific text, Joseph Rouse’s forthcoming book Articulating the World: Conceptual Understanding and the Scientific Image (University of Chicago Press). This challenging, wide-ranging, and important book seeks to show how our ability to understand the world scientifically can itself be integrated into the scientifically described world, as a natural phenomenon. Amongst other things, Rouse’s discussion addresses normativity and conceptual understanding, evolutionary biology and niche construction, language and discursive practice, the scientific and manifest images, experiment, laws and necessity, and the nature of objectivity. In the process, he engages with the work of philosophers including Davidson, Dreyfus, Brandom, Haugeland, McDowell, and Sellars. The course will subject Rouse’s text to a close critical reading.

Assessment and permitted materials

• participate in nine or more of the seminars
• submit eight 400 word chapter summaries and submit them within one week of the relevant seminar; students can choose which eight of the eleven main chapters they wish to summarize (50%)
• write an extended book review of approximately 3000 words, in the style of Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews (50%)

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Students will:
• learn how to read, interpret, and critically discuss a wide-ranging, ambitious, and difficult philosophical text
• become familiar with several interconnected philosophical problems, concerning the nature of naturalism, objectivity, concepts, normativity, and scientific practice
• learn how to write concise philosophical summaries that identify the key claims made in a chapter, and also identify points for further clarification and criticism
• participate critical discussion as part of a group
• summarize and critically discuss a substantial text by writing a review of it

Examination topics

• close reading of one complete text
• group discussions in seminars, each focused upon a particular chapter, which will (a) clarify the central themes of the chapter, and (b) critically discuss philosophical claims and arguments
• writing chapter summaries
• writing an extended book review

Reading list

The only essential reading for this course is Rouse’s book manuscript, which will be made available to students immediately after the first seminar. The relevant chapter should then be read before each of the remaining seminars. However, students are also encouraged to consult the work of other philosophers discussed by Rouse, and to look at Rouse’s previous book How Scientific Practices Matter: Reclaiming Philosophical Naturalism (University of Chicago Press, 2002).

Association in the course directory

MA M1, M3 B. Metaphysik/ Ontologie, Phänomenologie, Philosophie des Geistes
M5 Projekt - und Forschungsmodul, HPS M4

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:36