The Specter of Relativism: Objectivity and the Possibility of Knowledge

Philosophy 250 Contemporary Philosophy

Rex Gilliland

Office: Norton 265

Phone: 226-7718

Home Phone: 930-0754

Email: rgillila@bsc.edu

Phil-Science 305 TTh 3:10-4:30 pm

Office Hours: TTh 10:50-11:50 am,

TTh 1:00-2:30 pm,

and by appointment

Syllabus Writing Center Information

Schedule Click on dates for reading questions. All changes in red.

8/30 Introduction to the issue, Definitions of terms

A. Cognitive Relativism

9/4 Nicolas Rescher, Objectivity, Introduction and Ch. 1, 1-13; Karl Popper, “Facts, Standards, and Truth,” 36-39 (in Moser and Carson)

Recommended: Rescher, Ch. 8; Thomas Nagel, Introduction to The View from Nowhere

Theme: What is cognitive objectivity?

A. 1. Critics of Cognitive Objectivity

9/6 Rescher Ch. 2

Theme: A response to various critiques of cognitive objectivity

9/11 Richard A. Shweder, “Post-Nietzschean Anthropology: The Idea of Multiple Objective Worlds”

Theme: Anthropological arguments for relativism

9/13 J.E. McGuire on different views of scientific change; Thomas S. Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

Theme: Problems with scientific objectivity

9/18 Philip Kitcher, The Advancement of Science; and Précis of The Advancement of Science

Recommended: Rescher, Ch. 3

Theme: Defending the notion of scientific objectivity

9/20 Test #1 Study Guide

A. 2. Can We Conceive of Something that Lies Beyond Our Own World?

9/25 Rescher Ch. 4

Theme: Do we necessarily privilege the standards of our own group?

9/27 Sandra Harding, “Rethinking Standpoint Epistemology: ‘What is Strong Objectivity?’”

Theme: Rethinking objectivity through the notion that knowledge is acquired through a particular perspective or standpoint

10/2 Alasdair MacIntyre, “Relativism, Power, and Philosophy”; Recommended: Rescher Ch. 5

Theme: Cognitive relativism and cultural difference

10/4 No Class – Paper #1 Due Paper Guidelines

10/9 Martha C. Nussbaum and Amartya Sen, “Internal Criticism and Indian Rationalist Traditions”

Theme: Is it possible for us to provide an internal critique of other cultures?

B. Ethical Relativism

10/11 William Graham Sumner, “Folkways”; Recommended: Ruth Benedict “Anthropology and the Abnormal” (both in Moser and Carson)

Theme: Anthropological arguments for ethical relativism

10/16 James Rachels, “The Challenge of Cultural Relativism” (in Moser and Carson)

Theme: Criticisms of cultural relativism

10/18 Fall Break

10/23 Loretta M. Kopelman, “Female Circumcision/Genital Mutilation and Ethical Relativism” (in Moser and Carson)

Theme: Problematic implications of cultural relativism

10/25 Moser and Carson, pp. 13-14; Plato, Theaetetus 152a-e, 169c-172c; Bernstein p. 234 n. 18; Heidegger, Nietzsche vol. 3, pp. 25-28.

Theme: Is moral relativism self-refuting?

C. Between Objectivity and Relativism: Continental Responses

10/30 Martin Heidegger, “On the Essence of Truth”

Theme: Can we redefine truth in a way that avoids both objectivity and relativism?

11/1 No Class

11/6 Richard J. Bernstein, Beyond Objectivism and Relativism, 1-20

Theme: The problem with objectivity and relativism

11/8 Bernstein, 30-49; Recommended: 20-30 Translations and Definitions

Theme: Hermeneutics and philosophy of science

11/13 Bernstein, 73-74, 79-108; Recommended: 51-79

Theme: Rationality and incommensurability

11/15 Test #2 Study Guide

11/20 Bernstein, 109-139

Theme: Hermeneutics

11/22 Thanksgiving

11/27 Bernstein, 139-169

Theme: Hermeneutics, cont.

11/29 Bernstein, 171-197

Theme: Praxis: Habermas on practical discourse

12/4 Bernstein, 197-231

Theme: Praxis: Rorty and Arendt

Final Paper due Friday 12/14 at 10 am Study Guide