Syllabus

Course Description

Bertrand Russell suggested that philosophical theories can be tested by their ability to deal with logical puzzles. This is the approach to philosophy that we will take in this course. The puzzles with which we will be concerned are paradoxes: sets of propositions each member of which is intuitively true but which nonetheless seem jointly inconsistent. Paradoxes of various sorts have been a focus of study in almost every area of philosophy; accordingly, this course will use paradoxes as a tool to raise questions about the following topics, among others: the nature of space and time; the nature of physical objects and change; the possibility of an omniscient and/or omnipotent God; the rules which govern what we rationally ought to believe, and what we rationally ought to do. We will also discuss more purely logical paradoxes such as the sorites, the liar, and Russell's paradox. A subsidiary aim of the course will be to help students to appreciate the importance of consistent beliefs and to improve their ability to think clearly about the logical relations between claims..

Prerequisites

One of the following:

• Introduction to Philosophy (PHIL 10100, PHIL 10101, PHIL 20101 ) or
• Philosophy University Seminar (PHIL 13185) or
• Honors Philosophy Seminar (PHIL 13195) or
• Philosophical Inquiry (PLS 20301)

Readings

• Required textbook: Richard Mark Sainsbury's Paradoxes (3d edition, ISBN 0521720796).
• Other readings, as assigned.

Grading