BETHEL COLLEGE

Department of Philosophy

Fall, 2001

Topics in Philosophy: Explantion and Understanding.

(PHI 361: T-Th; 2:30-3:45PM; S.H.103)

Paul T. Lewis, Instructor

Course Description

Introductory Remarks

This is actually a class on epistemology, or the philosophical school concerned with asking and answering such questions as ‘what is knowledge?’, ‘how do we come to know something?’, ‘what is truth?’ and so on. In a sense this is a more focused class dealing with two specific questions of epistemology, ‘what does it mean to explain something?’ and ‘what does it mean to understand something?’ Part of the delightful work that we shall have in this class will be to try to answer these questions! In so doing, we shall be in the enviable position of perhaps developing an understanding of understanding. What do you think the advantages of this might be? Please jot a couple down in the space below.

It would be good to develop an understanding of understanding because

Of course, we shall also be taking a look at the possible relationship between explanation and understanding. Are they mutually exclusive enterprises as the classical tradition suggests, or might one be in some kind of special relationship to the other? But before we engage these questions we should perhaps attempt some initial working definition of each of these terms. Please try your hand at one in the space below.

My tentative working definition of explanation is that

My tnetative working definition of understanding is that

So now, what is their possible relationship?

Well, I bet you have had enough questions and answers for a while. Suffice it to say that we will be starting with our own commonsense notions of explanation and understanding (where else could we start? - sorry - I couldn’t resist asking the question . . .) and building upon, generating out of, modifying, negating, changing, developing . . . From there (our past notions), . . . to here (our present notions) . . . to there (our future notions). If you get used to asking and answering questions - not to mention - get into the intrigue of it, you will have no problem with this course. In fact, it might even make philosophy students out of you if you are not already (!), students who love to ask and try to answer the big questions.

To sum up with concision, we have two such questions before us now, regarding explanation and understanding. However, I have found that asking questions about these two concepts stimulate the continual popping up of many other questions, e.g., those relating to other concepts like metaphor, similie, synecdoch, metonymy, contingency, mind, irony, body, truth, meaning, reason, objectivity or objectivism, subjectivity or subjectivism, schemata, rationality, solidarity, logic, science, language, and so on. This list serves as an overview and provides a sense of the range of topics that we will be dealing with in this course.

Class Format

My intention is to lecture in this course probably about 25% of the time, and then we shall discuss issues that my lecture raises in regards to the readings about 25% of the time. About 10% you will be taking quizzes. The other 40% will consist of paper draft presentations and responses, free discussion about issues in the readings, or about the philosophy of everyday problems in explanation and understanding. We may simply engage in exegesis of the texts before discussing them, or just jump in and discuss them. We may purposely prepare comments and questions in advance, or on the spot. Above all, I ask that we abide by a covenant to come to class having read, thought about, and taken notes on the material. Surely then we shall have a grand time!

Learning Objectives

1. Become acquainted with the foundational concepts of the philosophy of explanation and understanding.

2. Develop a rudimentary understanding of several classic and contemporary philosophical authors and works in explanation and understanding.

3. Develop a working knowledge of some of the fundamental philosophical problems and issues in explanation and understanding.

4. Take advantage of an opportunity to start to define and/or redefine skills of doing the philosophy explanation and understanding in everyday life.

5. Write your own objective here:

Required Texts and Readings

von Wright, G.H. (1971). Explanation and understanding. Ithica, NY.: Cornell University Press.

Nagel, T. (1997). The last word. New York: Oxford University Press.

Rorty, R. (1989). Contingency, irony, and solidarity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Dennett, D.C. (1996). Kinds of minds: Towards an understanding of consciousness. New York: Basic Books.

The above should be available for sale in the bookstore. Other required readings may be placed on reserve from time to time.

Recommended Readings

Black, M. (1962). Models and metaphors. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

Collingwood, R.G. (1972). An essay on metephysics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Copleston, F.C. (1966). History of philosophy. Westminster, MD:

Newman Press.

Davidson, D. (1980). Essays on actions and events. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Davidson, D. (1984). Inquiries into truth and interpretation. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Dennett, D. (1991). Consciousness explained. Boston: Little, Brown and Company.

Edwards, P. (Editor) (1967). Encyclopedia of philosophy. New York:

Macmillan.

Honderich, T. (Editor) (1995). The oxford companion to philosophy. Oxford: Oxford

University Press.

Johnson, M. (1990). The body in the mind: The bodily basis of meaning, imagination, and reason. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Peters, R.S. (1958). The concept of motivation. London: Routledge.

Ruben, D-H. (1993). Explanation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Runes, D.D. (Editor) (1964). Dictionary of philosophy. Paterson, NJ:

Littlefield Adams.

Sosa, E. & Tooley, M. (Editors). (1993). Causation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Some of these will be available in the reference sections of the library; others in the stacks; still others in new and used book stores.

Notes:

Course Requirements and Evaluation

1. Class attendance, punctuality, meeting deadlines, constructively critical and collaborative processing, and so on; miss 3 class sessions with discretion, no penalty; miss more than 3 and this part of your grade may suffer: Worth 20% of the total grade.

2. A half-dozen or so relatively brief (about 30 minutes) in-class short answer and essay quizzes on the texts: Worth 36% of the total grade. Details will be forthcoming.

3. Several rough working papers relating to the chosen topic area: Worth 24% total of the grade. Details will be forthcoming.

4. One relatively formal 12-15 page double-spaced typewritten proofread paper relating to the chosen topic area: Worth 20% of the total grade. Papers will be delivered orally at the end of the term, a presentation lasting between 10-15 minutes. Details will be forthcoming.

5.. One optional and extra credit collective, oral comprehensive final. Details will be forthcoming.

Class Itinerary

Tu 8/28 Overview of the course

Th 8/30 Introductory lecture: Explanation and Understanding.

Discussion: Everyday life examples. Readings: von Wright’s “Two Traditions”; Nagel’s “Introduction”; Rorty’s “Preface” & “Introduction”; Dennett’s “Preface” & “What kinds of minds are there?”.

9/4- Lecture & Discussion: Causal Explanation

9/6 Readings - von Wright: Chapters I & II; RR

9/11- Lecture & Discussion: Teleological Explanation

9/13 Readings - von Wright: Chapter III; RR

9/18 NO CLASS: ASSESSMENT DAY.

9/20- Lecture & Discussion: Applications

9/25 Readings - von Wright: Chapter IV; RR

9/27* Von Wright’s explanation and understanding: Quiz and processing.

10/2 Lecture and Discussion: On the possible objectivity of reason: The view

10/4 from nowhere.

Readings - Nagel: Chapters 1 & 2; RR

10/9- Lecture & Discussion: Reason and language; logic; and science.

10/11 Readings - Nagel: Chapters 3, 4 & 5; RR

10/16- Lecture & Discussion: Reason and ethics; naturalism; and religion.

10/18 Readings - Nagel: Chapters 6 & 7; RR

10/23 NO CLASS: FALL BREAK

10/25 Nagel’s view from nowhere: quiz and processing.

10/30 Lecture and Discussion: Postmodern possibilities: The view from

11/1 somewhere.

Readings - Rorty: Chapters 1, 2, & 3; RR

11/6 Lecture and Discussion: Ironism and Theory

11/8 Readings - Rorty: Chapters 4, 5, & 6; RR

11/13 Lecture and Discussion: Cruelty and Solidarity

11/15 Readings - Rorty: Chapters 7, 8, & 9; RR

11/20 Rorty’s postmodernism: Quiz and processing.

11/21- NO CLASS: THANKSGIVING

11/25

11/27- Lecture and Discussion: On the relationship of consciousness and

12/4 understanding.

Readings - Dennett; RR

12/6 Paper Presentations: A collaborative position on explanation and understanding.

12/14 Collective oral comprehensive final: Friday, 7:30 A.M.

N.B: Let us reserve the right to alter this syllabus as we see fit

Notes:

Concluding Comments

If you are a student who has a physical or learning disability and wish to request accomodations or services to support your efforts in this course, you must notify the instructor and Dan Quinlin in the CAD by the end of the second week of classes. I would also appreciate it if athletes, music and forensic and other students who may be missing classes due to these activities get a list of the dates of these misses to me by the second week of classes. If there are too many misses, you might not be able to stay in this course! And, if you are able to stay, you will be responsible for whatever is covered on the day that is missed.

If ever you have any questions, please do not hesitate to see me during scheduled office hours or by appointment. Here's to a good course!

Office: Science Hall, Room 113. Telephone: x292 or 316-284-5292.

Office Hours:

Home Address: 925 Emmaline Lane, Newton, KS: Home telephone: 316-283-8135.

Paul T. Lewis

Instructor

Notes: