Modal Epistemology

Pre-requisites: Knowledge of English is desirable.

Course objectives: Students should gain insight into the main debates in modal epistemology.

Course description: This course explores possibilities and boundaries of our modal knowledge (our knowledge of unactualized possibility and of necessity, in particular). Some main theories of modal epistemology are critically examined, such as modal rationalism, modal empiricism, modal skepticism, modal abductivism, and the like.

Learning Outcomes: It is expected that students will attain deeper understanding of main problems and solutions in modal epistemology and improve their writing skills.

Literature/Reading:

• Dekart, Rene. (2012). Metafizičke meditacije, Beograd: Zavod za udžbenike.
• Chalmers, David. (2002). “Does Conceivability Entail Possibility?”, in T. Gendler and J. Hawthorne (eds.). Conceivability and Possibility, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Gregory, Dominic. (2010). “Conceivability and Apparent Possibility”, in B. Hale and A. Hoffmann (eds.), Modality: Metaphysics, Logic and Epistemology, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Bealer, George. “Modal Epistemology and Rationalist Renaissance”, in T. Gendler and J. Hawthorne (eds.). Conceivability and Possibility, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Hale, Bob. (2002). “Knowledge of Possibility and of Necessity”, Proceedings of Aristotelian Society, 103: 1–20.
• Ichikawa, Jonathan and Jarvis, Benjamin. (2012), “Rational Imagination and Modal Knowledge”, Nous, 46: 127–158.
• Kripke, Saul. (1992). Identitet i nužnost, u Ž. Lazović i A. Pavković (prir.), Ogledi o jeziku i značenju, Beograd: FDS.
• Van Inwagen, Robert. (1998). ”Modal Epistemology”, Philosophical Studies, 92: 67–84.
• Biggs, Stephen. (2011), “Abduction and Modality”, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 83: 283–326.
• Roca-Royes, Sonia. (2011).”Conceivability and De Re Modal Knowledge”, Nous, 45: 22–49.
• Vaidya, Anand. (2008). “Modal Monism and Modal Rationalism”, Erkenntnis, 68: 191–212.
• Vaidya, Anand. (2010). “Understanding and Essence”, Philosophia, 811–833.
• Yablo, Stephen. (1993), “Is Conceivability a Guide to Possibility?”, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 53: 1–42.
• Garcia-Carpintero, Manuel and Macia, Josep (eds.). (2006). Two-Dimensional Semantics: Foundations and Applications, Oxford: Oxford University Press (izbor tekstova).
• Gendler, Tamar and Hawthorne, John. (eds.). Conceivability and Possibility, Oxford: Oxford University Press (izbor tekstova).
• Hale, Bob and Hoffmann, Aviv. (2010), Modality: Metaphysics, Logic and Epistemology, Oxford: Oxford University Press (izbor tekstova).
• Prelević, Duško. (2011). „Čalmersova odbrana argumenta na osnovu zamislivosti”, Theoria, 54/2: 25–55.
• Prelević, Duško. (2013). Modalna epistemologija i eksplanatorni jaz: značaj argumenta na osnovu zamislivosti zombija, doktorska disertacija, Beograd: Filozofski fakultet.