PHIL 80.30 Theories of Judgment
This course examines historically important theories of judgment through a contemporary lens. In what sense is judgment an act? How does judgment relate to assertion, belief, and knowledge? Is judgment a unifying act of synthesis? Or can we judge by taking an attitude toward a single object? How does a judgment such as ‘the cat is on the mat’ differ from a mere collection such as {‘cat’, ‘mat’, ‘on top of’}? Traditional theories of judgment span topics that today fall into the philosophy of mind, epistemology, philosophy of logic, and metaphysics. Some instances of this course will focus on contemporary theories. Historical figures may include Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Arnauld, Leibniz, Kant, Fichte, Bolzano, Brentano, Mill, Husserl, Frege, and Russell.
This advanced seminar is designed to be a culminating experience for majors in Philosophy, although properly qualified students in other disciplines may also be admitted.
Prerequisite
Requires the permission of the instructor.