2010 Spring PHIL 291S-01
Bulletin Course Description Instructor: Staff
(Instructor named in bulletin description above may not be current. For current instructor, see listing below.)
Title CAUSATION Department PHIL Course Number 2010 Spring 291S Section Number 01 Primary Instructor Hoover,Kevin D. Prerequisites Course Homepage econ.duke.edu/~kdh9/Courses/Phil 291S Causation/Phil291Smaster.htm
Synopsis of course content
A study of the philosophical foundations of causation. A seminar course involving close reading and discussion of classic modern philosophical analyses of causation, with special reference to applications in the philosophy of science including the social sciences.
Causality is a huge subject with a large variety of approaches. We cannot hope to touch on it all – much less master it. In order to have some context, we will first look at some classic texts, Aristotle and Hume. From there we will proceed to look at more recent authors, including J.L. Mackie, Patrick Suppes, Nancy Cartwright, James Woodward, and David Lewis. While we touch on some questions in metaphysics, the focus will be on epistemology and the role of causation in the philosophy of science. This will essentially be a seminar course in which we will read, discuss, and try to understand some important works related to various aspects of causality. There may be some lectures to fill in students on necessary background.
Textbooks
Readings provided online.
Assignments
For undergraduates, there are three required graded parts to the course:
1. Weekly short assignments: 30 percent. These assignments are meant to make sure that you are up to speed on, and engaged in, the primary readings. Instructions are given below. I will give further instructions about in class.
2. Class participation: 30 percent. The class will be conducted as a seminar and discussion and participation is essential. Students are expected to be prepared to discuss topics and to participate actively.
3. Three Short Analytical Papers: 40 percent. These papers, no more than 3000 words each will be on topics set by the instructor. The last is in lieu of a final examination.
For graduate students, the same three parts plus:
4. Final Paper: 40 percent. A research paper on a topic of your choice related to the course (topic subject to instructor approval).
The different parts of the grade for graduate students will be broken down 15, 15, 30, 40 percent.
Exams
No exams.
Term Papers
Term paper for graduate students only.
Grade to be based on
Undergraduates: Weekly Assignments 30%, Short Analytical Papers 40%, Class Participation 30%.
Graduates: Assignments 15%, Short Analytical Papers 30%, Class Participation 15%, Term Paper 40%.
