Subject

Theory of Knowledge

  • code 09146
  • course 3
  • term Semester 2
  • type OB
  • credits 3

Main language of instruction: Spanish

Teaching staff

Head instructor

Dr. Bernat TORRES - btorres@uic.es

Office hours

 btorres@uic.cat

 

Introduction

In the event that the health authorities announce a new period of confinement due to the evolution of the health crisis caused by COVID-19, the teaching staff will promptly communicate how this may effect the teaching methodologies and activities as well as the assessment.

Knowledge is an operation that often leads to error, confusion, failure or skepticism. To clarify this, we need a theory, which is nothing more than an observation from a distance, in order to clarify what is happening to it and what is, if possible, knowledge. From this point of view we will go through the various questions that structure the theory of knowledge: its possibility, its essence and, finally, its origin.

In the background of the subject you will find the question of how knowledge is lived in highly technical societies, often prone to subjectivism and relativism, almost inevitable victims of manipulation and post-truth, but relying on science, in its progress, in its capacity for knowledge and guidance.

Pre-course requirements

No specific requirement.

Competencies

  • E01 - Ability to provide a humanistic/cultural vision to other sciences or methods.
  • E11 - Ability to interpret data and relate it to appropriate theories.
  • G01 - To analyse and interpret social and cultural environments to identify need, opportunities, weaknesses and strenghts..
  • G02 - To lead, cooordinate and form part of interdisciplinary work teams.
  • E02 - Ability to use methods and techniques specific to human sciences.

Learning outcomes

1. Applies acquired language skills to oral and written expression

2. Write narrative and descriptive texts

3. Acquire key concepts of each of the subjects

4. Know and select specific documentation of the subjects

5. Applies theoretical knowledge in analysis and debates of face-to-face activities and in autonomous work

9. Relate concepts of the different subjects worked in a transversal way

10. Learn to diagnose problems in the intellectual, social and political spheres

11. Read and analyze essays on current topics

13. Applies / transfers theoretical and / or abstract concepts of each subject to real situations

Syllabus

Questions of knowledge

 1. Do we know?

Dogmatism

Skepticism

 

2- What do we know?

Realism

Idealism

 

3. How do we know?

Empiricism

Rationalism

 

Teaching and learning activities

In person

The classes will consist of lectures with the support of texts selected by the professor, which will be commented on in the classroom. Throughout the course we will read a classic work of philosophy, especially illustrative of the theory of knowledge, to which specific seminary sessions will be dedicated.

Evaluation systems and criteria

In person

The course will be evaluated from a test carried out at the end of the course (60%) and also from class participation and text commentary work (40%).

  Addendum: The final test will be done online due to the extraordinary circumstances decreed by the government.

Bibliography and resources

Plató, Eutifró, Editorial Gredos (castellà) Bernat Metge (català)

Plató, Menó, Editorial Gredos (castellà) Bernat Metge (català)

Plató, Teetet, Editorial Gredos (castellà) o Bernat Metge (català)

Plató, Fileb, Edicions de la ela geminada (català)  

Descartes, Discurs del Mètode

Descartes, Meditacions Metafísiques

Kant,I. Crítica de la razón pura (Kritik der reinen Vernunft)

Cassirer, Ernst. El problema del conocimiento. I. Mexico: Fondo de cultura económica

George Santayana, Escepticismo y fe animal, La Balsa De La Medusa

Sales i Coderch, J. R., Coneixement i situació, Publicacions i Edicions de la Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, 2014 [1ª ed. 1988].

Hessen, J. (1981). Teoría del conocimiento. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe. Colección Austral

Lester Embree. (2013) Anàlisi reflexiva. trad. Carles Serra Pagès (Traductor). Barcelona: Universitat de Barcelona.


 

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