George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

                August 6-11, 2006

                Instructors: David Kelley and William R Thomas

Last update: June 12, 2006

The organizing topic for the Seminar will be the nature of the mind and the mind’s place in nature. Philosophical thought about this topic has always revolved around two fundamental questions:

1.        What is the relation between the mind as knower and the world it knows? This is the central issue in epistemology, involved in all of the specific issues that epistemology is concerned with, such as the validity of sense-perception, the nature of concepts, and the possibility of certainty.

2.        What is the relation between mind and body? This is the central issue in philosophy of mind, which is concerned with the distinction between mental and physical, the relation of conscious experience to its neural basis, the causal efficacy of thoughts in controlling physical actions, etc.

The goal of the Seminar is to understand how Objectivism answers these questions. We will examine the relevant Objectivist principles and their application to selected issues in epistemology and philosophy of mind, emphasizing the systematic character of the Objectivist approach. For each issue, the readings and class discussions will

·         Cover the essential Objectivist concepts and principles relevant to the issue.

·         Compare the Objectivist approach with common theories in contemporary academic philosophy.

·         Discuss questions, debates, and further extensions of the Objectivist approach.

Along with the substantive issues, we will discuss issues of method, including common problems in understanding and applying Objectivist ideas and methodological differences between Objectivism and contemporary academic philosophy. There will also be one session devoted to philosophical writing.

This syllabus is a work in progress. The topics and readings are subject to revision within the course structure outlined below. Check back often for the current version.

Assignments

Advance papers: Choose one of the following theses of Objectivism and write a paper explaining what the thesis asserts and how it is validated:

1.        The primacy of existence

2.        The law of causality

3.        The theory of measurement-omission

4.        The objective/intrinsic/subjective distinction

5.        The hierarchical nature of knowledge

6.        The contextual nature of knowledge

7.        The choice to think

In explaining what the thesis asserts, your goal should be to formulate it clearly and concisely, using examples and contrasting it with other, rival theories. In explaining how the thesis is validated, focus on the essential reasons or basis for believing it is true. You may also discuss significant objections to the thesis and your view of how to answer them.

Papers should be 5-6 pages long, doublespaced (about 1,800 words). Papers are due Friday, July 21. Please submit them in electronic form (preferably MS Word).

Papers will be discussed in class, in connection with our coverage of the topics on the syllabus. The final element of the assignment will be to revise the paper after the Seminar ends.

Participants will receive written evaluations based on their performance in the seminar and their written work. Although the Center is not accredited by any outside body, these evaluations will serve participants and the Center as a record of their areas of excellence and shortcomings.

Readings

As a graduate-level course, the Seminar will presuppose that you are familiar with Objectivism, and that you have access to the major works that are relevant to this year’s topic, including

Ayn  Rand, Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology (expanded 2nd ed., with excerpts from Epistemology Workshops) [IOE]

David Kelley, The Evidence of the Senses [ES]

Leonard Peikoff, Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand [OPAR]

The Seminar schedule includes a number of other works in the Objectivist literature, as required or recommended readings. Those published by The Objectivist Center will be provided free to participants on request. We expect to have copies of all other material available for distribution as well.

In the sessions that compare Objectivism with other approaches, we will be concerned with concepts, theories, and arguments that have become landmarks in contemporary philosophy. In some cases, there are landmark essays that have been included as required reading, such as Thomas Nagel’s essay “What Is It Like To Be a Bat?” In most cases, however, the syllabus provides one or more recommended readings as background for those who have not already encountered the ideas. Seminar participants who have other recommendations or requests are encouraged to contact the instructors; it may be possible to add them to the reading list.

The following sources are valuable for general background on contemporary epistemology and philosophy of mind:

Laurence Bonjour & Ernest Sosa, Epistemic Justification: Internalism vs. Externalism, Foundations vs. Virtues. (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2003). Each author has a long essay; between them they cover many of the major issues in epistemology.

Jaegwon Kim, Philosophy of Mind  (Cambridge, MA: Westview Press, 2006). An introduction and overview of the field.

David J. Chalmers (ed.), Philosophy of Mind: Classical and Contemporary Readings (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002).  A collection of major articles.

The online Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP) has a number of useful articles on specific topics. David Chalmers, SEP editor for philosophy of mind, has compiled entries in that field in his Guide to the Philosophy of Mind.

Schedule of topics and readings

There will be two 90-minute sessions each morning and afternoon, Monday-Friday, and evening sessions on Sunday and Tuesday. The schedule below describes the topics and readings for each day. One session each day has been reserved for the discussion of participants’ written work. The final schedule will depend on what particular topics participants choose to write about. Readings are given by author and title; full information on them is given at the end. Required readings are indicated by *.