Epistemology of Perception and Scientific Realism
This semester, the seminar will focus on two different topics: epistemology of perception and scientific realism.
Ordinarily, we take it that our knowledge of the world is acquired through sensory perception. But what does perception involve, and how does it contribute to our knowledge? In the first part of this course we will explore theories of perceptual experience, as well as the main theories in the contemporary debate regarding the epistemology of perception. We will discuss the motivations for, and primary objections to, each of these theories.
The second part of the course will be on scientific realism: the idea that successful scientific theories provide us with (approximately) true knowledge about the world, including unobservable entities. We will explore the contemporary debate regarding scientific realism, and discuss the nature of scientific knowledge.
Textbooks
Ali Hasan, 2017. A Critical Introduction to the Epistemology of Perception. Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781472526595
Paul Dicken, 2016. A Critical Introduction to Scientific Realism. Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781472575906?