puzzles and paradoxes
Professor: Brian Rabern
Office: 205 Thornton
Office hours: by appointment
Email: brian.rabern[at]gmail.com
Course description. Paradoxes have formed a central topic of philosophical investigation, stretching back from Zeno of Elea up to David Lewis. Paradoxes figure both in influential arguments for philosophical theses and in famous (alleged) refutations of philosophical theses. This course provides an overview of a number of famous philosophical puzzles and paradoxes and important attempts to solve them. In so doing students will be introduced to some important issues in philosophy of language, philosophical logic, decision theory, and formal epistemology. The course will put emphasis on both methodology and philosophical content.
date | topic | read | present |
Sainsbury: 1-3; Sorensen: 1-18 | |||
6/27 | The liar paradox | Allen | |
6/29 | The liar paradox | ||
7/4 | NO CLASS | ||
7/6 | Russell's paradox | Emy | |
7/11 | Russell's paradox | ||
7/13 | Paradox of the question | Grant | |
7/18 | The sorites paradox | Kevin | |
7/20 | The puzzle of future contingents | Sam & Geoffrey | |
7/25 | Cartwright's paradox | Jesssica | |
7/27 | Use/mention | ||
8/1 | Surprise exam | Brad | |
8/3 | Muddy Children Puzzle | Ayanda | |
8/8 | Preface paradox | Danny | |
8/10 | Newcomb's paradox | Luke | |
8/15 | St. Petersburg paradox | Joe | |
8/17 | Knights and knaves | ||
8/22 | The truth machines | Brian | |
Time/Location:
Dartmouth College
Tue/Thurs 10:10-12:00pm, 60 Carson Hall
Course Texts:
Sorensen (2005) A Brief History of the Paradox: Philosophy and the Labyrinths of the Mind.
Sainsbury (2009) Paradoxes.
Clark (2012) Paradoxes from A to Z.
Smullyan, What is the name of this book?
Assessment:
Presentations: 20%
Creative project: 20%
Final essay: 60%
2000-3000 words
Course related links:
On vagueness, or, when is a heap of sand not a heap of sand?
Parsons, "The eleactic hangover cure"
Frege/Russell correspondence on the paradox
Graham Priest's lecture on Frege's legacy
Slides on Frege, Russell, and the paradox
"What the Tortoise Said to Achilles", by Lewis Carroll
Hofstadters's MU-puzzle: the MIU system
How Aristotle invented the computer
Monty Python, "Argument clinic"
Further resources:
Some useful formal concepts [Schwarz]
Guidelines on Writing a Philosophy Paper
