PHIL-355 Contemporary Philosophy

A critical survey of early 20th century Anglo-American philosophy with a focus on formative debates over the nature of experience and language, their connection to reality, and the nature of philosophy itself, ending with work on the nature of race and gender. Covers more truly contemporary work (with a brief stop in the 1960s) including both the decline and fall of some of the dominant themes of the tradition—for example, the craving for the certainty of logic and the perceived objectivity of science—and the birth of a variety of reconceptions of philosophy continuing to shape the discipline, and the philosophical imprint on the culture at large. Readings include works by Carnap, Quine, Wittgenstein, Elgin, Appiah, Haslanger, and Gleick’s The Information.

Maximum Enrollment

Standard Course (40)

Credits

1

Prerequisite

PHIL-203 or consent of instructor.

Notes

Open to sophomores, juniors and seniors.