Philosophy Course Descriptions

Spring 2016
PHI 1306. H1 Introduction to Logic
Buras 108 MWF 11:15-12:05
We study logic for the same reason we study grammar. The aim in both cases is to do better at
something all do all the time. In the case of Logic the aim is to do better at
reasoning. Reasoning is an inevitable part of every area of ordinary life, and every field of
academic inquiry. When we reason, we attempt to track some very important relationships
between truths. The goal of reasoning is to see whether one truth entails another or makes
another more likely. Logic is the study of these very important relationships between truths. In
this class we will study the most important ways philosophers have devised for systematically
tracking these relationships. We will also learn to evaluate reasoning in ordinary life and in
academic study with the aid of these systems of logic. As an honors section, this course will be
especially writing intensive.

PHI 1306.01 Introduction to Logic

Sandwisch 110 MWF 9:05-9:55
Logic is a tool for the evaluation, analysis, and construction of arguments. The purpose of our
study of logic will be to fine tune and develop these skills. We will study deductive and inductive
arguments in both a formal and informal context. Special emphasis will be given to thinking
through the uses of our logical systems as well as their limitations. We will also make time in the
class to read and critically examine argumentative essays with the tools we have learned.

PHI 1306.02 Introduction to Logic

Cartagena 106 MWF 10:10-11:00
Logic is the study of reasoning and argumentation. Studying logic can help you evaluate competing
claims, both in academic contexts and in everyday life. This course will help you to think critically and
coherently by learning and applying logical tools, principles, and methods. Throughout the semester,
well use logic to inform our readings of popular and philosophical texts (e.g. New York Times columns
and Platos Euthyphro) and in writing editorial (op-ed) and philosophical essays.

PHI 1306.03 Introduction to Logic

Aho 110 MWF 11:15-12:05
Logic is the study of reasoning and arguments. However, having a winning argument should not be our
only concern. We need practices that help us resolve our disagreements with others, especially when
working alongside or living in community with them. To that end, this introductory course in logic will
help you to cultivate the argumentative skills, intellectual capacities, and virtuessuch as empathy,
courage, generosity, and intellectual humilitynecessary to argue well in personal, vocational, and
communal contexts.

PHI 1306.04 Introduction to Logic

Bryant 106 MWF 12:20-1:10
Simply put, logic is the study of arguments. We encounter arguments all the time as people try to give us
reasons to believe claims about topics ranging from religion, ethics, and politics to less important
matters. Some of these arguments are good they give us good reason to accept their conclusions. Some
of them are bad they do not give us good reason to accept their conclusions. It's important to be able to
tell the difference because there are plenty of bad arguments to be had in areas in which it's important to
not be deceived. So, you need to study logic because it will help you tell good arguments from bad
arguments. As an added bonus, the skills learned in the course will be of particular use to students
preparing for exams such the LSAT and the GRE.

This course will introduce you to the basics of logic. Among other things, you will be introduced to
Aristotelian logic, propositional logic, truth tables, inductive logic, and fallacies. By studying these topics
you will come to understand the structure of arguments and learn how to evaluate arguments that you
encounter and construct good ones of your own. This will make you a better person, at least in some
respects.

PHI 1306.05 Introduction to Logic

Rosenbaum 106 MWF 1:25-2:15
This course is designed to cover basics of logic that might be useful to students. Many students who want
to pursue further professional studies take standard national exams like the GRE, LSAT, GMAT, or
MCAT. Many students believe this logic course helps on those kinds of exams, and I intend the course to
cover materials with that explicit goal in mind. Assessing the quality of reasoning about specific issues is
one primary aim of the course, and one tool for making these assessments appears on our course outline
as "informal fallacies." In addition, much of the course is devoted to techniques of formal reasoning and
to standard kinds of terminology for evaluating it; these techniques and terminology are also useful in
larger contexts. The text for the course is Hurley's A Concise Introduction to Logic.

PHI 1306.06 Introduction to Logic

L. Rettler 108 TR 11:00-12:15
We encounter arguments from a wide variety of sources ranging from social media to conversation to
books. In this course you'll learn to identify different kinds of arguments in various contexts. Youll learn
to reconstruct them even when they're not clearly stated, and to evaluate which are good and which are
bad. We'll cover both formal and informal patterns of reasoning, including forms of induction, deduction,
and categorical logic. The skills taught in this course typically help students improve their scores on
graduate and professional school exams (the LSAT, GRE, MCAT, and GMAT).

PHI 1306.07 Introduction to Logic

Colgrove 110 TR 11:00-12:15
All of us reason about the world, our beliefs, etc., but not all of us reason well. Reasoning well is,
however, something that we can learn to do. This course aims to help you improve your ability to reason
and your ability to construct and evaluate arguments. This will involve, in part, examining informal
reasoning, informal fallacies, and arguments in plain English. Well also focus heavily on formal logic,
where we will construct proofs and evaluate arguments on the basis of their validity, soundness, or lack
thereof. These exercisesand improving your ability to reason in generalshould better equip you to
unearth the truth, whether you pursue it in science, medicine, mathematics, philosophy, law, theology, or
day-to-day life. Indeed, the skills you gain in this course can contribute to your excelling in just about any
discipline or profession. Further, if you are planning on taking the LSAT, GRE, or some other admissions
exam(s) for graduate school, the training you gain from this course should be of great use to you.

PHI 1306.08 Introduction to Logic

Younger 108 TR 12:30-1:45
The purpose of this course is to strengthen your ability 1) to understand and to clarify language, 2) to
recognize informal fallacies in reasoning, and 3) to determine the validity and invalidity of deductive
arguments. Every dimension of the course aims at enhancing your ability to reason, that is, to see and
understand connections and relationships among ideas. This should be of inestimable value to you
personally and professionally.
PHI 1306.09 Introduction to Logic
Guido 106 TR 9:30-10:45
Everyday life contains a rich environment within which we try to think things through to logical
conclusions; to distinguish between solid arguments on the one hand and erroneous ones on the other; to
figure out what to believe or not to believe based on the evidence that is given; and to thoughtfully
construct arguments to present to others in a variety of conversational situations. One purpose of this
course is to make you more skilled in these kinds of everyday reasoning. Part of the course will be
focused on understanding the logical structures of the different types of arguments that we frequently
employ in the course of everyday life. We will learn to diagram arguments to better see their form. And
we will cover common missteps that people often make in everyday reasoning, so that you will be able to
better recognize these when you see them and avoid making them yourselves. By title, this course is a
logic course, and logic plays a central role in reasoning criticallythat is, carefully and well. Logic
alone is not the same as critical reasoning, but reasoning cannot be critical if it violates elementary logical
norms. So an important part of this course will be to gain a basic proficiency in formal logic. The
discipline of logic brings one to awareness of logics norms, and can thereby be ones best friend in the
attempt to reason well. In all aspects, this course is intended to be interesting, practical, and enjoyable.

PHI 1307.01 Critical Thinking: Logic and Medicine

Beary 105 TR 12:30-1:45
The purpose of this course is to help you become a better thinker - to clarify your own beliefs and your
reasons for holding them, to formulate better arguments, and to identify and evaluate the arguments and
beliefs of others. We will use these skills to consider moral issues in medicine, including but not limited
to controversies surrounding health insurance, mental illness, infertility treatment and assisted suicide.
The primary goal of the course is to help students enjoy the life of the mind and develop stronger
interpersonal relationships through more meaningful dialogue. Historically, many students also find these
skills important in preparing for graduate school examinations, such as the MCAT, LSAT, GRE, etc. and
in preparation for job interviews.

PHI 1308.01 Introductory Topics in Ethics: Living the Good Life

Dahm 106 MWF 9:05-9:55
We all want to be happy, but what do true fulfillment and happiness look like? How do we go about
attaining it? We also want to be good. Is it possible to pursue both happiness and goodness at the same
time? Or do we have to choose between the good life and the happy life? In this class, we will explore
these and nearby questions. We will focus on Thomas Aquinass account of happiness and examine it in
light of influences, critics, and alternate views. We will look at the background in Aristotle and
Christianity and some criticisms of Aquinass view. We will also consider how recent psychological
research on happiness relates to Aquinass view. Our goal will be to get a better understanding of what
happiness is and how we should pursue it.

PHI 1308.02 Introductory Topics in Ethics: Pursuit of Happiness

B. McAllister 106 MWF 11:15-12:05
Everyone wants to be happy. We want those who we love to be happy. Yet its rare that we seriously
reflect on what will make us happy. Its astounding when you think about it. Well research where to
find the best Mexican food but we wont reflect on what contributes to our well-being. Happiness is too
important to pursue blindly or in isolation. Those who take this class will engage in a semester long
investigation into what will make us happy. Well take our cues from both contemporary and classical
sources, including Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, and Mill. Along with these thinkers, well confront three
crucial questions: Are there any absolute principles about happiness? What is happiness? and What role
should happiness play in our lives?
PHI 1308.03 Introductory Topics in Ethics: Love and Sex
L. Rettler 108 TR 3:30-4:45
Love and sex are things that we think about a lot, but that we don't often subject to careful reflection. We
love our friends, our romantic partners, our family, our pets, and ice cream. What, if anything, do these
forms of love have in common? Do we have control over who and how we love? Is love always good?
What is sex? Is sex always good? What's the connection between sex and love? How do love and sex
affect men and women differently? These are the kinds of questions we'll be trying to answer in this
course. We'll read what some of the ancients--Plato and Aristotle--have to say about love; and we'll look
at the work of a variety of contemporary philosophers. The goals of course are to help you gain deeper
insight into the complexity of human relationships, to identify and critique various undefended
assumptions concerning love and sex, to learn to express your own views clearly, and moreover, to
support your views with good arguments.

PHI 1308.04 Introductory Topics in Ethics: Food, Farm & Factories

B. Rettler 110 TR 12:30-1:45
In this course we will ask and answer philosophical questions about food, farms, and factories. Most of
them will be ethical: what should we eat? Should we eat meat? Should we support fair trade? Are
sweatshops morally permissible? Some will be metaphysical or epistemological or aesthetic or political:
what makes something food? How do we know what is food and what isnt? Is taste purely subjective, or
objective? Should governments subsidize farmers?

PHI 1308.05 Introductory Topics in Ethics: Ethics at Work

Tweedt 110 TR 2:00-3:15
How can you both work and live a flourishing and happy life? When do these conflict, and how do we
deal with these conflicts? This course will be divided in to three parts. First, we'll talk about one's purpose
and how one's career fits in to it. We'll answer these questions: Would it be good for us to work even if
we weren't paid? If so, why? Does work help humans flourish, and if so, how? Second, we'll talk about
goals and responsibilities of businesses. We'll answer: Do business have responsibilities just like we do,
and if so, what are these responsibilities? To maximize profit? Increase shareholder wealth? Make lives
better? Contribute to global sustainability? Also, to whom does a business have a responsibility? Just its
shareholders, or to its employees, suppliers, customers, other stakeholders, or more? Last, we'll discuss
one's life as a member of a business. How ought one view co-workers? How ought we to deal with power
struggles, whistleblowing, lying, bluffing, and being told to do something that goes against one's
conscience? Throughout we'll develop a framework for thinking through these issues, discuss real cases,
and learn how to put our findings into real world practice.

PHI 1308.06 Introductory Topics in Ethics: Ethics and Computers

Dracos 108 TR 2:00-3:15

PHI 1309.01 Introduction to Medical Ethics

Beckwith 108 MWF 10:10-11:00
This course is an introduction to medical ethics. It begins with a discussion of moral theory, with
special emphasis on the challenge of consequentialism on more traditional understandings of the
sanctity of human life. For the remainder of the course we will explore several questions and case
studies concerning the beginning and end of life, including (but not limited to) abortion,
reproductive technologies, physician conscience protection, the nature of human dignity,
and assisted suicide.
PHI 1321.H1 Introductory Topics in PHI: Philosophy & C.S. Lewis
Dougherty 106 TR 9:30-10:45
C.S. Lewis was first trained as a philosopher, but after the war there were no positions, so he gained
qualifications to teach English and the rest is history. However, he continued to write philosophical works
and to write literature philosophically on such a variety of issues that his work can serve as a fitting
introduction to philosophy. In this course we will examine issues in Ethics, Epistemology, and
Metaphysics through Lewis's works of both fiction and non-fiction.

PHI 1321.01 Introductory Topics in PHI: Philosophy & Human Nature

Anderson 105 TR 11:00-12:15
We all want answers, but rarely examine the questions we ask. How do we question well? Is there such a
thing as a bad question? Is doubt a neutral activity? Can I be confident in what I know? In this course, we
will look at these and other central philosophical questions, drawing on close readings of classical and
contemporary texts as our starting pointsworks from Plato, Aristotle, and Descartes, among others, then
moving to modern authors such as C.S. Lewis. Classes are discussion basedcomposed of little to no
lecture. Instead, we will wrestle with big ideas and hard questions through Socratic dialogue.

PHI 1321.02 Introductory Topics in PHI: Philosophy & C.S. Lewis

Doughtery 106 TR 11:00-12:15
C.S. Lewis was first trained as a philosopher, but after the war there were no positions, so he gained
qualifications to teach English and the rest is history. However, he continued to write philosophical works
and to write literature philosophically on such a variety of issues that his work can serve as a fitting
introduction to philosophy. In this course we will examine issues in Ethics, Epistemology, and
Metaphysics through Lewis's works of both fiction and non-fiction.

PHI 2305.01 PHI & REL: Death & Afterlife

Pruss 105 TR 9:30-10:45
This class explores the intersection between philosophy and religion by examining the philosophical
questions raised by death and Christian beliefs about the afterlife. Is death to be feared? Can death harm
us? Is life after death even possible? Is it reasonable to hold any beliefs at all about what happens
beyond the grave? Are uniquely Christian teachings about life after death coherent? Plato taught that
philosophy, practiced properly, is nothing other than preparation for death. This course will aim to be
philosophical in this ancient sense of the term.

PHI 3301.01 Moral Philosophy

Beaty 110 MWF 10:10-11:00
How can we make sense of morality and its relationship to human happiness and well-being? What kinds
of lives should we choose and what sort of character we should we aspire to have? After we examine the
challenges to the institution of morality from Friedrich Nietzsche (1844- 1900), we will compare the rich
moral psychologies and normative ethical theories of four pivotal thinkers. In the theories of Immanuel
Kant (1724-1804) and John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) we encounter a modern conception of human
freedom that places God at arms length in the moral life and shifts the focus to rules and obligations.
Like Aristotle (384-322 BC) many centuries before, Aquinas (1225-1274) emphasizes the roles of
happiness, virtues and vices, and character formation in the moral life, but with new twists that derive
from the biblical view of morality. Class sessions feature small group discussions and presentations as
well as mini-lectures.

PHI 3310.01 History of Philosophy Classical

Schultz 106 TR 2:00-3:15
Over two thousand years ago, ancient thinkers like Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, and Xenophanes
began to wonder about the nature of the world around them. They searched for answers about the
structure of the cosmos and the meaning of existence. In many ways, they were no different than the
average person who has such thoughts today. One thing was different, however. They began to share their
thoughts and ideas with others. Heraclitus, Parmenides, and Pythagoras added their insights to this
burgeoning philosophical conversation. Socrates and the sophists debated the nature of the human soul
and the existence of the good. Plato continued these conversations by writing great philosophical
masterpieces like the Symposium, the Republic, and the Apology. Aristotle carried these inquires further
with his Nicomachean Ethics, Politics, and Metaphysics. In this course, we will explore these texts that
became the foundation of western philosophical, social, and political thought.

PHI 3312.01 History of Modern European Philosophy

Evans 107 TR 9:30-10:45
This course is designed to provide the student with a basic acquaintance with the most important western
philosophers of the modern period (roughly 1600-1900, Descartes to Nietzsche)--both their ideas and
arguments--and with some of the most important texts of that period. While ethics and metaphysics are
covered, major emphasis is given to epistemology: the quest for certainty found in classical
foundationalism (both empiricists and rationalists) and the problems this quest gives rise to. Attention will
be given to understanding the implications of this history for the situation of philosophy and western
culture more broadly today. We will also look at the role Christian faith has played in the history of
philosophy and the implications of that history for faith today.

PHI 3320.01 Philosophical Issues in Feminism

Wright MMSCI 354 TR 12:30-1:45
Feminist theorists have challenged the negative assessment of the body within philosophical discourse.
This course will survey recent developments in feminist philosophy, focusing on the contested nature of
embodiment in feminist thought and the intersections between feminist philosophy as it is historically
understood and developing debates within body studies, one area of feminist theory. Topics will include
theories and definitions of gender, cultural inscriptions and evaluations of the body, theories of power and
politics of the body, evaluations of the body in science and biomedicine, and assessments of the position
of women in the history and discipline of philosophy. No philosophy background is necessary, but
readings will approach feminism from a philosophical point of view.

PHI 3322.01 Philosophy and the Arts

Jeffrey 105 TR 2:00-3:15
This course is intended to provide a basic introduction to philosophical aesthetics. There will be some
comparative references to artistic practice at various points, and the special place in Western art theory of
religious art and the matter of the transcendentals, particularly Beauty. The course is accordingly
organized in such a way as to allow us to consider foundational texts in a basic chronological order, but
also with an eye to contemporary perspectives on these texts. We will read a number of primary texts that
have shaped western thought about aesthetics since the ancient Athenians and down through to the
present. Our focus will be upon the way stances in metaphysics shape aesthetic theory, and how in
practice this turns much aesthetic reflection on beauty as a transcendental toward theological thought. For
each week of the semester we will consider in relation to our reading a work of art as a practicum
grounding the theory.

PHI 43311.01 Epistemology

Kvanvig 110 TR 9:30-10:45
This course begins with two central questions from Plato about knowledge: what is its nature and why is
it valuable? The tension between these two questions leads directly to some of the central topics in the
history of epistemology: skepticism, the nature of truth, the nature of justification, including the debates
between foundationalists and coherentists and between externalists and internalists, and the Gettier
problem. Each topic will be discussed from the point of view of whether it is possible to construct a
theory of knowledge that can answer both of Plato's questions.

PHI 4321.01 Metaphysics

Pruss 107 TR 12:30-1:45
We will consider a number of topics from contemporary metaphysics, such as: What makes me be me?
What is free will and do we have it? Are present, past and future relative or absolute? What makes
something be necessary or possible? Does science lead us to literal truth? The purpose of this course is to
introduce one to some metaphysical issues that are interesting on their own, as well as to teach one, by
example, how we do contemporary metaphysics.

PHI 4324.01 Philosophy in Literature

Moore BRCOLL 170 TR 2:00-3:15
This course will focus on the philosophy and literature of the Kentucky agrarian novelist and essayist
Wendell Berry. Berry is not usually thought of as a philosopher, but his work addresses some of the most
important and traditional philosophical questions. What is the good for human beings? What is
happiness and human flourishing? How should we order our lives together in community? What is
legitimate authority? What obligations do we have both to humanity and to the environment? How do
we apprehend the good, the true, and the beautiful? In this course, as we read Berrys novels, essays, and
poetry, we will place his thought in conversation with two of the most important moral philosophers of
the second half of the twentieth century, Iris Murdoch and Alasdair MacIntyre.

PHI 4331.01 Latin American Philosophy

Cooper 110 TR 3:30-4:45
The study of the writings of the philosophers in Latin America offers several commendable advantages.
One such advantage is acquiring a strong background for understanding the cultures and the intellectual
trends of the people living in Central and South America. Also, you gain insight into the changes
occurring in those cultures over the last five centuries. In addition, the careful study of these writings
engenders a grasp of the kinds of arguments formulated by these philosophers as they addressed the
struggle to develop a feasible order for political and social processes while retaining the freedom that
enables creative engagement with their natural and cultural heritage. As to course procedures, focus will
be on careful reading of original texts and extensive discussion during class sessions. This course is a
helpful addition for anyone interested in developments in Latin American as well as those seeking an
insight into the growth of this philosophical tradition.

PHI 4360.01 Contemporary Ethical Theory: Virtue and its Critics

Carron 106 MW 2:30-3:45
Virtue ethicists since Aristotle have believed people have character, and that their character disposes them
to good or evil deeds. Our commonsense or folk psychology concurs; we typically explain and predict
actions on the basis of people's long-term personality traits. Furthermore, virtue ethicists argue that
cultivating good stable dispositionsmoral virtuesis a necessary part of a life of happiness and
flourishing. However, social psychology experiments dating back to the early 20th century have
challenged the very notion of character. In fact, many psychologists have long believed that people lack
characterstable disposition simply do not exist. Philosophers have recently started paying attention to
these studies, resulting in the situationist critique of virtue ethics. After studying Aristotles understanding
of character, we will examine this psychological tradition of situationism and its appropriation by
philosophers. We will then look at some revisionist virtue accounts formulated in response to
situationism. Finally, we will survey recent experiments in positive psychology that provide some
evidence for the cultivation of stable character traits.
PHI 4361.01 Social Philosophy
Rosenbaum 105 MWF 11:15-12:05
The large topic of Platos Republic is justice, what it is and how it might be achieved. Plato is a well-
known skeptic about democracy, and his thought about justice is integral to his skepticism about
democracy. Well read Plato carefully and try to understand his objections to democracy. Then well
read other interesting sources about justice and democracy, including W.E.B. DuBois, Karl Marx, Milton
Friedman, John Dewey and Michael Sandel.

PHI 4363.01 Philosophy and Medicine

Marcum 145 Everle TR 12:30-1:45
Contemporary medicine is fragmented both in terms of approaches to what it is or should be, as well as to
how it is or should be practiced. Approaches to the nature of medicine range from traditional scientific to
humanistic accounts, while approaches to its practice range from evidence-based to patient-centered
medicine. These approaches often involve different philosophical perspectives. For example, a
reductionist perspective is foundational to standard biomedicine while a holistic perspective to integrative
medicine. In the course, these approaches to medicine are examined in terms of the philosophical issues
arising from medicines fragmentation and whether or not the scientific and humanistic approaches can be
coalesced.

PHI 5306.01 Readings from Kierkegaard: Kierkegaards Christian Writings

Evans 107 W 2:30-5:15
This course will be a philosophical examination of some of the lesser-known writings of one of the
greatest Christian philosophers, So/ren Kierkegaard. It will consist of an intensive reading and discussion
of a group of writings, mostly non-pseudonymous, and mostly from Kierkegaard's later or "second
authorship." The course will focus particularly on philosophical issues that are connected to Christian
theology and the Christian life. As a "reading course" the course will be designed around the reading and
discussion of the assigned texts.

PHI 5311.01 Readings from the Philosophers: Aquinass Treatise on Law

Beckwith 107 M 2:30-5:15
Thomas Aquinas Treatise on Law is one of the most important works in the history of legal philosophy.
Although consisting of only 19 disputations, it is the sort of work that requires a close and careful
reading, which is what we will be doing in this class. Because it is part of Aquinas Summa Theologica,
our study of the Treatise will examine it in its theological and philosophical context. The primary texts
for this course are J. Budziszewskis Commentary on Thomas Aquinas's Treatise on Law (Cambridge
University Press, 2014), which includes Thomas original work, and Budziszewskis Companion to the
Commentary on Thomas Aquinas Treatise on Law (Cambridge University Press, 2014). The first is an
actual book while the latter is a free online accessible pdf. Throughout the semester these primary texts
may be supplemented by other readings from Aquinas and others.

PHI 5320.01 Special Topics in Philosophy: History of Analytic Philosophy

Kvanvig 107 T 2:00-4:45
This course covers the rise of analytic philosophy in the late 19th reaction in England against Absolute
Idealism, through the early Atomisms of Russell and Wittgenstein, the rise and fall of Logical Positivism,
and the rise of ordinary language philosophy. The course culminates with the work of Quine and
Davidson, on the one hand, and Kripke on the other.

PHI 5350.01 Workshop on Teaching Philosophy

Kruschwitz 107 TR 11:00-12:15
We will begin by reflecting on the philosophy of teaching, emphasizing college and university teaching as
a Christian vocation in diverse contextsChristian and secular research universities and liberal arts
colleges, regional universities, and community colleges. In the second section of the course we will
evaluate specific instructional skills and practices from the perspective of that philosophy. In the final
section we will exhibit these skills and practices in classroom teaching and various written assignments.
We will critique and encourage one anothers work. Members will participate in one of three philosophy
departments to develop an undergraduate curriculum, sample course outlines, syllabi, and lesson plans.
Each member will produce a teaching journal that includes the personal and group assignments for the
semester.

PHI 5321.01 Topics in Epistemology: Fallibilism & Evidence

Anderson 107 R 2:00-4:45
Fallibilism is widely considered a given in contemporary epistemology. Infallibilism results in
skepticism, which is unacceptable; hence, were all fallibilists now. Nevertheless, fallibilism sits uneasy
with many philosophers (Lewis, among others). In this seminar, we will explore various problems
fallibilists face starting with why a satisfying articulation of fallibilism has proven elusive. We will
discuss particular puzzles and problems fallibilism gives rise to (the lottery problem, Gettier, CKAs, etc)
and we will consider the challenge that recent interest in epistemic norms presents to fallibilists. Along
the way, we will investigate the extent to which fallibilism can rightly be viewed as a response to modern
philosophers (Descartes, in particular). These issues will compose roughly the first half of the
semester. In the remainder of the course, we will examine two different pictures of evidenceone
offered by Timothy Williamson that has been dubbed infallibilist, the other a more traditional picture
and look at how these theories of evidence deliver disparate pictures of defeat, acquisition of evidence,
and finally the results of each picture for various problems in religious epistemology (the problem of evil,
the rationality of belief in miracle reports, and divine hiddenness).