Drew University Moodle

This course will be a comprehensive introduction to epistemology. Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that investigates the nature of knowledge, justification, understanding, and other related concepts. Throughout the course, we will read and discuss a wide range of essays, both historical and contemporary. Here are some of the questions that we will raise and try to answer:
❖ Can we know anything? If knowledge is possible, are there any limitations to what we can know?
❖ How do we know that the world, as it appears to us, reflects reality rather than some illusion (e.g. the Matrix)?
❖ Can we know that a world external to our own mind exists, or are we just limited to knowledge of our own mental states?
❖ What are the necessary and sufficient conditions for having knowledge?
❖ When are laypeople justified in accepting the testimony of experts? Which experts should we trust?
❖ Can we know whether God exists?
❖ Is moral knowledge possible? If so, how are moral beliefs justified? Could they be justified on the basis of consensus, authority, or rational intuition?