I. Instructor
Richard Feldman
Office: E39-318
Office Hours: Tues. 1:00 - 2:00; Thurs: 11:00-12:00
Phone: x34072
E-Mail: rfeldman@mit.edu
II. Texts
Knowledge: Readings in Contemporary Epistemology, edited by Sven Bernecker and Fred Dretske
(available in the bookstore).
Epistemology by Richard Feldman (Draft of manuscript. Can be purchased in class.)
Additional readings are available online. Links are listed below. Links will also be posted on the class
web site.
III. Web Page
Course information, including this syllabus, assignments, some lecture notes, and schedule changes, will be available online. URL to be determined.
IV. Requirements
1. An in class mid-term exam. (20% of course grade.)
2. A take-home final exam. (30%.) (There will be an option to write a final paper on an approved
topic.)
3. Approximately 6 1-2 page written assignments. Each assignment will require a precise reformulation
of some claim or argument from the readings or a presentation of an objection to some point made in
the readings or in class. Approximately 7 of these assignments will be made and the best 6 grades will
be counted. [It is possible that the exact number of assignments made and required will be changed
slightly.] (40%)
4. Regular participation in class discussions. Questions will often be given in out in class for discussion
in the next class. Participation in discussion will proceed best when these questions have been
considered prior to class. (10%)
Readings are listed following the topics. Readings from the Knowledge anthology are indicated by
'B&D' followed by chapter (article) number. Readings from the Epistemology text are indicated by an 'F'
followed by chapter or page numbers.