Knowledge & Belief (PHIL*2240) | College of Arts

Knowledge & Belief (PHIL*2240)

Code and section: PHIL*2240*01

Term: Fall 2018

Instructor: Karyn Freedman


In this course we will explore a number of fundamental questions in the field of epistemology, or theory of knowledge. In our advanced digital age, it is relatively easy to get information, and as a result we think we know a lot about a lot of different things. But what, precisely, is knowledge? And how is it different from mere opinion? What role does truth play in demarking the difference? And do true beliefs need to be backed up by evidence? These questions have been debated since Ancient times, and we will examine them while also considering some emerging questions in social epistemology, feminist epistemology and the epistemology of ignorance.

Course Outline