The aim of this course is to introduce student the sceptical arguments of the history of philosophy and enable them to think in relation to them.
An analysis and comparison of the sceptical arguments of Aristippus, Protagoras, Gorgias, Socrates, Pyrrho, Archesilaus, Carneades, Ainesidemus, Agrippa, Sextus Empiricus, Augustinus, Montaigne, Descartes, Berkeley, Hume and Nietzsche.
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Course Learning Outcomes
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Learning Outcomes Upon the completion of this course a student: |
Program Learning Outcomes |
Teaching Methods |
Assessment Methods |
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1) acquires historical approach to scepticism. |
1,2,3,4,7,10 |
1,2,3,4 |
A,B,C,D,E |
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2) discusses scientific method in relation to sceptic arguments. |
1,2,3,4,7,10 |
1,2,3,4 |
A,B,C,D,E |
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3) relates to sceptics’ concepts in a critical and creative way. |
1,2,3,4,7,10 |
1,2,3,4 |
A,B,C,D,E |
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4) grasps the historical significance of scepticism. |
1,2,3,4,7,10 |
1,2,3,4 |
A,B,C,D,E |
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5) explains the importance of scepticism. |
1,2,3,4,7,10 |
1,2,3,4 |
A,B,C,D,E |
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6) distinguishes contemporary problematics as possible subjects of sceptical approach. |
1,2,3,4,5,7 |
1,2,3,4 |
A,B,C,D,E |
Course Flow
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COURSE CONTENT |
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Week |
Topics |
Study Materials |
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1 |
Introduction |
Philosophy |
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2 |
Introduction: Scepticism Ancient and Modern |
Scepticism |
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3 |
Pyrrhonian Scepticism: A First Approach |
Sextus Empiricus |
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4 |
Sextus Empiricus, Outlines Book I |
Sextus Empiricus |
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5 |
Early Scepticism: Anticipations of Sextus |
Sextus Empiricus |
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6 |
Xenophanes, Select Fragments and Commentary |
Xenophanes |
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7 |
Parmenides, Select Fragments and Commentary |
Parmenides |
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8 |
Mid-semester assessment |
- |
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9 |
Socrates, Apology, Crito, Protagoras, Gorgias, Meno (Plato, Selections) |
Plato |
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10 |
Anticipations of Sextus in Aristotle |
Aristotle |
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11 |
Aristotle’s Response to Pyrrhonian Scepticism, Aristotle, Posterior Analytics I.1-3, II.19; Metaphysics IV.5-6 |
Aristotle |
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12 |
Descartes, Meditations |
Descartes |
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13 |
Berkeley, Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous |
Berkeley |
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14 |
Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature |
Hume |
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15 |
Nietzsche, The Geneaology of Morality |
Nietzsche |
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16 |
Final Exam |
- |
Recommended Sources
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RECOMMENDED SOURCES |
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Textbook |
Texts put together by the instructor of the course |
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Additional Resources |
Outlines of Pyrrhonism by Sextus Empiricus, trans. R. G. Bury. [Original title: Pyrrhoneiôn Hypotypôseôn]
Cicero, On Academic Scepticism (Hackett, 2006). [Original title: Academica]
Michel de Montaigne, The Complete Essays of Montaigne, trans. Donald Frame, Stanford University Press, 1957
Blaise Pascal, Pensées, trans. A.J. Krailsheimer, Penguin Books, 1966.
David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature, edited by L. A. Selby-Bigge, 2nd ed. revised by P.H. Nidditch, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1975.
Friedrich Nietzsche, The Geneaology of Morality, Cambridge University Press, 1994.
Ludwig Wittgenstein, On Certainty, trans. G.E.M. Anscombe and G.H. von Wright, Harper and Row, 1972.
The Empiricists (anthology of Keith DeRose and Ted Warfield, eds, Scepticism: a Contemporary Reader (Oxford: OUP 1998)
B enson Mates: The Sceptic Way: Sextus Empiricus‖ Outlines of Pyrrhonism (New York: OUP 1996)
G. E. Moore, Selected Writings, ed. Tom Baldwin (London: Routledge 1993)
Robert Nozick, Philosophical Explanations (Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP 1984)
Michael Williams, Unnatural Doubts (Princeton: Princeton UP 1995) |
Material Sharing
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MATERIAL SHARING |
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Documents |
George Berkeley's Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous At filepedia.org online PDF version
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Assignments |
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Exams |
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Assessment
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ASSESSMENT |
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IN-TERM STUDIES |
NUMBER |
PERCENTAGE |
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Attendance |
15 |
10 |
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Midterm |
- |
- |
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Participation in seminar discussions |
15 |
10 |
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Assignments |
1 |
10 |
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Presentation |
1 |
10 |
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Critical reading notes |
10 |
10 |
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Final examination |
1 |
10 |
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Final Paper |
1 |
40 |
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Total |
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100 |
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CONTRIBUTION OF FINAL PAPER TO OVERALL GRADE |
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40 |
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CONTRIBUTION OF IN-TERM STUDIES TO OVERALL GRADE |
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60 |
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Total |
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100 |
Course’s Contribution to Program
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COURSE’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROGRAM |
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No |
Program Learning Outcomes |
Contribution |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
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1 |
acquires fundamental conceptual and methodological knowledge to use productively and creatively in academic studies. |
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X |
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2 |
improves a versatile critical and analytical approach, problem-solving, interpretative and argumentative skills in relation to advanced philosophical investigations. |
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X |
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3 |
proves to be a philosopher with principles, who communicates effectively, is specifically successful in written and oral presentation, has proper capacities for teamwork and interdisciplinary studies, takes the initiative, has developed a sense of responsibility, and contributes original ideas to the field of philosophy.
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X |
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4 |
applies life-long learning attitude to various ways of acquiring knowledge in order to maintain a professional and personal development.
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X |
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5 |
develops a consciousness of professional and social ethics. |
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X |
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6 |
acquires the necessary skill of choosing and developing actual means and using computing technologies effectively for a philosophical study .
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X |
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7 |
conducts an advanced study in history of philosophy which requires expertise, independently by using original texts. |
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X |
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8 |
applies philosophical knowledge to questions concerning contemporary, socio-cultural and political problematics.
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X |
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9 |
considers universal values and concepts of philosophy as a basis for [furthering] philosophical studies in Turkey; and is able to develop an approach to study and analyse issues that might arise when conducting discussions concerning history of philosophy in the Turkish language. |
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X |
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10 |
acquires the skill and background for making contributions to the field of history of philosophy, in national and international terms.
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X |
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11 |
uses his/her philosophical knowledge to establish interactions at national and international level.
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X |
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12 |
produces work of the quality of a contribution in national and international peer-reviewed journals in philosophy.
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X |
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13 |
holds the necessary knowledge of classical languages, a modern language in addition to English and history of philosophy to conduct an advanced philosophical study particularly in history of philosophy. |
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X |
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ECTS
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ECTS ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD BY THE COURSE DESCRIPTION |
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Activities |
Quantity |
Duration |
Total |
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Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16 x Total course hours) |
16 |
10 |
160 |
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Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice) |
15 |
10 |
150 |
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Midterms |
- |
- |
- |
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Assignments |
1 |
40 |
40 |
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Presentation |
1 |
30 |
30 |
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Critical reading notes |
10 |
4 |
40 |
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Final examination |
1 |
40 |
40 |
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Final Paper |
1 |
40 |
40 |
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Total Work Load |
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500 |
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Total Work Load / 25 (h) |
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20 |
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ECTS Credit of the Course |
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20 |