FRESHMAN SEMINAR IN PHILOSOPHY: RELATIVISM

PHIL 150W, Sec. 01: TTh 9:30am-10:50am in Blair 142
PHIL 150W, Sec. 02: TTh 11am-12:20pm in Blair 142
The College of William and Mary
Spring 2003

Instructor: James Woodbridge
email address: jawoo2@wm.edu
Course Webpage: http://fsweb.wm.edu/jawoo2/wm/150w.htm
Office Hours: T 3:30pm-5pm, W 10:30am-12pm, and by appointment
Office: 126 Blair Hall
Office Phone: 221-2713
Dept. Phone: 221-2735

 

FIRST PAPER ASSIGNMENT

In Sections 168d-186e (pp. 36-60) of Theaetetus, Plato offers an extended critical examination of the overall epistemological and metaphysical view that serves as the setting for the definition of knowledge Theaetetus has offered. Your task is to write a 4-5 page paper focusing on the arguments offered in one of the following two segments of the dialogue:
1) Sections 170a-171e and 177c-179b

2) Sections 179c-183c.
In either case, your most important task is to explain as clearly as you can and in your own words, how the reasoning presented in the critique proceeds. Be sure you specify all of the steps in any argument(s) you consider. Keep in mind that you are explaining arguments (i.e., talking about them), not giving them yourself. Make sure you situate the critique you examine: briefly explain the overall view being challenged, specify what part(s) of this view are being criticized directly, and discuss how this bears on other parts of the whole picture Plato addresses here. Finally, evaluate the criticism(s) you have explained. Does the critique itself hold up itself critical scrutiny? Why or why not?

Be sure to look at my Paper Requirements and Policies.

Keep your paper within the page limit!

Your paper is due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, February 18th.