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Knowledge and Reality (PHIL30016)
Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Email: klaus.Jahn@unimelb.edu.au
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
We think that we know a great many things about the real, objective, material world. That Melbourne is in Victoria, that the Swans play out of Sydney, that water is H20, that the earth revolves around the sun, that other people exist, that we exist, are all common place beliefs that we take to be something that we know. But what, precisely does such knowledge consist in, or what is it to know something? If we lack clarity on what it is to know something, can we ever really be sure that what we think we know, we actually know…?
Philosophers since the very inception of the discipline, with Plato (4th C BCE), have been really worried about whether or not we know anything at all, or if we do, how much we know. Sceptics claim that we do not have any, or much, knowledge at all, while other philosophers claim that while we do have knowledge, this knowledge cannot be knowledge of a real, objective, material world, which exists independently of our thoughts.
This class will have a two-fold structure, with the first part involving us in a dive into some of the central historical writings regarding the problem of our knowledge of the external world. Besides providing some historical grounding, this will afford us an opportunity to open a discussion of some of the central concepts and issues at play in philosophical discussions of knowledge (e.g., the concept of knowledge itself, justification, doubt, certainty and scepticism). In the second part of the class, we turn to more contemporary (20th & 21st C) efforts to offer a systematic theory of what these concepts – notably knowledge and justification – involve, as well as efforts to reply to some of the sceptical challenges to our everyday beliefs about an independently real, objective, material world.
Intended learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this subject will:
- have a sound general comprehension of major historical and contemporary advances in philosophical understanding of the nature and characteristics of knowledge as well as scepticism about knowledge;
- display a familiarity with some of the key historical and contemporary texts on which these advances are based;
- display an awareness of how this subject matter relates to broader concerns in contemporary philosophy;
- display a facility with the major concepts relevant to the class, and the ability to explain and critically discuss these in tutorials and in written work submitted.
Last updated: 27 April 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 27 April 2024
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
An essay
| Mid semester | 30% |
An essay
| During the examination period | 70% |
Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 75% of tutorials in order to pass this subject. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Additional details
Note: Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per day. After five days late assessment will not be marked. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked.
Last updated: 27 April 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Coordinator Klaus Jahn Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 35 hours - 2 x1 hour lectures each week and 1 x 1 hour tutorial for 11 weeks Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 2 March 2020 to 7 June 2020 Last self-enrol date 13 March 2020 Census date 30 April 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 June 2020 Assessment period ends 3 July 2020 Semester 1 contact information
Email: klaus.Jahn@unimelb.edu.au
Time commitment details
170 hours
Additional delivery details
Prior completion of at least one philosophy subject is recommended but not required.
Last updated: 27 April 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Noah Lemos, An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge (Cambridge University Press 2007). Further readings will be available on Readings Online.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Major Philosophy Major History and Philosophy of Science Major Philosophy Major - Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Bachelor of Biomedicine
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Design
- Bachelor of Environments
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art)
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Science
- Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 27 April 2024