Welcome to the Problems of Knowledge course, PHIL2901 (it used to be called 'Epistemology and Methodology'). Earlier versions of this course are accessible from their homepages: go back to the overall index..  There will be a good deal of overlap between this version and those, especially the 2003/5 course, but it will be useful to keep tabs on which set of notes etc. you are using. 

Schedule of lectures/classes

Materials for the course can be found from the Schedule page. See also the tutorial discussion topics below.  We meet in the Management Studies Seminar Room 2, at 8-9 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays; one slot will be allocated to tutorial work.

Other links

On this page is a selection of links to material elsewhere that you might find useful for this course. 

Reading

The prescribed texts for the course are:

Chalmers, A.F. What is this thing called science?

Williams, Michael Problems of Knowledge.

Library Reserve

In addition to the above books, I have put a few others on overnight reserve for the duration of this course:

Bird, A. Philosophy of Science
Huemer, M. (ed.) Epistemology: Contemporary Readings
Ladyman, J. Understanding Philosophy of Science
O'Hear, A. Introduction to the Philosophy of Science
Pojman, L. (ed.) The Theory of Knowledge

In other lists I may refer to these books simply by giving the author.

Other material

There are various other sources on this website.

Guidance for the Course

How will you be assessed?  For the exam paper for 2001/2, see here, for 2002/3, see here, for 2003/4, see here, for 2005/6, see here.

A brief guide to writing philosophy essays (by Ronald Hepburn, courtesy of the Edinburgh Philosophy Department's website - this copy is on our server).

Tutorial/seminars

Each week we shall use a particular text as a basis for discussion.

Contact

You can contact me by phone at 417 4023, or preferably by email to edbrandon@gmail.com.

Ed Brandon

last revision 4 September 2007