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FA C U L T Y O F PH I L O S O P HY U N I V E R S I T Y O F O X F O R D

PHILOSOPHY LECTURES PROSPECTUS

HILARY TERM 2014

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The Philosophy Centre is found at the Radcliffe Humanities Building, on Woodstock Road, which is also the site of the Philosophy and Theology Faculties Library. NOTES:

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- The normal duration of an event is one hour. Where the class or lecture lasts longer than an hour, the start time and end time will be given.

- Unless otherwise specified, the lectures and classes are given for all of weeks 1 to 8.

- Lectures and classes begin at five minutes past the hour, and end five minutes before. at 10.55am.)

- Students registered on Philosophy courses, and Faculty members, will need their

University card to enter the Philosophy Centre at Radcliffe Humanities. Visitors should use the intercom on the front door to ask for access.

- There are several rooms used as lecture/class spaces at Radcliffe Humanities. The main rooms are: the Ryle Room (1st floor), the Lecture Room (2nd floor), and the Seminar Room (3rd floor). Other rooms sometimes used are the Colin Matthew Room (ground floor) and Meeting Room 4 (3rd floor).

- There is lift and stair access to all floors. A list of rooms is found by the stairwell and lift on each floor.

- 81 High Street), one of the main lecturing facilities in the University. If you visit the Schools for a lecture or class, please be sure to check the electronic notice boards in the lobby, which will tell you which room the lecture/class is in.

- Every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this Prospectus is accurate at the start of term, but sometimes errors persist. If you think you have found a mistake, please contact James Knight (james.knight@philosophy.ox.ac.uk).

mailto:james.knight@philosophy.ox.ac.uk

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Lectures for the First Public Examination Students preparing for their First Public Examination (Prelims or Mods) should attend the following lectures this term: PPE, Philosophy and Modern Languages, Philosophy and Theology, Psychology and Philosophy: Introduction to Logic, Moral Philosophy, and General Philosophy Mathematics and Philosophy, Physics and Philosophy, Computer Science and Philosophy: Introduction to Logic and General Philosophy Literae Humaniores: any listed Prelims/Mods lecture that corresponds to their chosen Philosophy option for Mods

General Philosophy Prof Peter Millican W. 12, Schools

These lectures will introduce the aims and methods of theoretical philosophy through the six topics on the General Philosophy syllabus: Knowledge and Scepticism, Induction, Mind and Body, Personal Identity, Free Will, and God and Evil. The first two lectures will explore the connections between these topics, and how they naturally arose as matters of serious concern with the development of the modern scientific world-view in the early modern period, thus providing a context for better understanding the classic texts (notably those of Descartes and Hume) from which the Faculty reading lists begin. The six remaining lectures will then be devoted to considering each of the topics in more detail, and the various contemporary responses to them represented by the bulk of the Faculty reading lists. While doing this, the lectures will also make a point of introducing students to the various "key concepts" that they are expected to learn through the course. Overall, the aim is to help them to prepare for the General Philosophy tutorials and examination, while also developing a broader understanding of philosophy and the interconnections between some of its central and most vital issues. Moral Philosophy: Mill, Utilitarianism Dr Edward Harcourt Th. 12, Schools

Utilitarianism. Topics covered will include pleasure, happiness and the good life; the forms ty principle; and rights and

justice.

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Elements of Deductive Logic Dr Jeff Ketland T. 12, Radcliffe Humanities (Lecture Room) Elements of Deductive Logic is the primary logic course for those taking Prelims in Maths & Philosophy, Physics & Philosophy and Computer Science & Philosophy. It builds on the Introduction to Logic course and Halbach's Logic Manual, knowledge of which will be assumed. The course content is primarily metalogical rather than dealing with issues of formalization and natural language. The course will be based around lecture notes "Elements of Deductive Logic" prepared by Dr Antony Eagle, and will be distributed to students. Provisional lecture schedule: 1. Preliminaries: Induction and Set Theory 2. Syntax and Semantics of Propositional Logic 3. Metatheory for Propositional Logic I 4. Metatheory for Propositional Logic II 5. Metatheory for Propositional Logic III 6. Syntax and Semantics of Predicate Logic 7. Metatheory for Predicate Logic I 8. Metatheory for Predicate Logic II These lectures will mesh closely with the Chapters 1-7 of the lecture notes. Alan Turing on Computability and Intelligence Prof Peter Millican Th. 12 1.30, Herford College (Ferrar Room) These lectures, designed for the first year course in Computer Science and Philosophy, start

countability of infinite sets. They then work in detail through the 1936 paper, using Charles

The Annotated Turing (which contains the entire paper, together with comprehensive discussion) as a basis. Finally, the last couple of lectures w

-experiment.

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Lectures for the Honour Schools Lectures listed in this section are core lectures for the papers in the Honour Schools: that is, these are lectures intended especially for students taking those papers at Finals. Questions set in Finals papers usually take the content of core lectures into account. Students should also refer to the section Other Lectures, following. Lectures listed there are not official core lectures, but nonetheless cover topics of relevance to the Finals papers. The Other Lectures listings this term are open to all, but might particularly interest students taking 102 Knowledge and Reality; 104 Philosophy of Mind; 107 Philosophy of Religion; and/or 108 Philosophy of Logic and Language.

102 Knowledge and Reality: Metaphysics Prof Christopher Shields W. 10, Schools

Week One: On Behalf of Universals

Week Two: Against Nominalism

Week Three: Essence and Necessity

Week Four: Against Particulars as Bundles and Substrata

Week Five: Two Approaches to Persistence

Week Six: On Behalf of Neo-Aristotelian Hylomorphism

Week Seven: Categories of Being

Week Eight: Objectivity the World that is there Anyway

103 Ethics II Prof Alison Hills F. 10, Schools

This course covers basic topics in moral theory, including utilitarianism and consequentialism, Kant's moral theory, virtue ethics, the doctrine of double effect and the doctrine of doing and allowing.

104 Philosophy of Mind II Dr Lizzie Fricker M. 10, Schools

1. mentality: availability to introspection; feature in folk-psychological explanation etc. I conclude that there is no one essential feature of mentality, but rather a rag-bag of typical features. 2. Self Deception. 3. Behaviourism and functionalism. 4. Above, continued. 5. . 6. Eliminative Materialism: is folk-psychology a theory likely to be discredited?

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7. Above, continued the threat from brain-science? 8. Externalism about mental content.

106b Philosophy of Social Science Dr Louise Braddock and Dr John Latsis Th. 10, Schools

Provisional lecture timetable (may be altered) 1. Explanation 2. Interpretation 3. Realism 4. Relativism 5. Values 6. Individualism and Holism 7. Functionalism 8. Rational Choice In the philosophy of social science questions of ontology and method revolve around one another. But institutional and doctrinal considerations of different traditions have shaped social investigation. Consonant with the success of natural science, the focus of analytic philosophy has been on method: questions of ontology, as well as of epistemology, are largely taken as answered. One challenge to this position arises from the very different tradition of social study that emanates from Continental philosophical thought and grounds the interpretive tradition. More recently there is a line of thought emerging from developments in the social sciences that offers a more complex picture of social investigation. The lecture topics, selected from a much wider field, will examine the evolution of social scientific methodology while retaining a focus, often lost in methodological debates, on ontology.

110 Medieval Philosophy: Aquinas Prof Cecilia Trifogli T. Th. 11 (weeks 1 to 4), T. 11 (weeks 5 to 8), Schools

I will present the following topics from Aquinas, Summa theologiae, I, qq. 2-11, 75-89; II.I, qq. 1-10, 90-97: (1) Existence of God (I, q. 2); (2) Nature of God (I, q. 3); (3) Soul (I, qq. 75-76); (4) Cognition (I, qq. 79, 84-86); (5) Will (I, qq. 80, 82-83; II.I, qq. 8-10); (6) Happiness (II.I, qq. 1-5); (7) Voluntary Actions (II.I, q. 6); (8) Eternal and Natural Law (II.I, qq. 90-97). 113 Post-Kantian Philosophy: Nietzsche

Dr Peter Kail W. 2, Radcliffe Humanities (Lecture Room) These lectures are for the Post-Kantian Philosophy Paper and will concentrate, though not

Beyond Good and Evil (BGE) and On the Genealogy of

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Morality (GM). The course will follow the structure of GM and discuss most of the key topics -creation and genealogy.

Particular emphasis is placed on Nietzsche as a naturalistic thinker. A full reading list for each topic will be given out at lectures. Students should obtain either the Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy Series editions or the Hackett translation of GM by Clark and Swensen (this also has an excellent introduction). 113 Post-Kantian Philosophy: HeideggerBeing and Time

Prof Stephen Mulhall T. 2, New College These lectures will aim to give an introduction to Heidegger's major early work; no previous knowledge of his writings will be assumed. Although the primary audience is assumed to be those working on Heidegger for the Post-Kantian Philosophy paper, anyone interested in the material is welcome to attend. We shall work through the text in the order in which it is written, and in some detail; so it might be advisable to bring a copy along. There will be plenty of time for questions.

116 / 132 Aristole: Nicomachean Ethics Prof David Charles T. Th. 10, Oriel College

[A] 4 LECTURES ON THE HUMAN GOOD/ EUDAIMONIA: 1. The Function Argument: the Hypothesis of the Ethics 2. The Human Good: what is the basis for Aristotle's claims?

4. The Argument in NE 1: [B] 5 LECTURES ON ACTION AND PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE 4. The Voluntary 6. Preferential choice/ decision: practical reasoning: practical syllogism 7. Acrasia 8. Practical Knowledge, self-control and acrasia 9. Practical Knowledge: practical truth and goals [C] 4 LECTURES ON VIRTUE 10. What is Virtue? The theory of the mean: Temperance 11. What is Virtue? Fine action and courage 12. Justice: end of the theory of the mean? 13. Friendship [D] 2 LECTURES ON PLEASURE

14. The role of pleasure in the human good

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Notes: (i) People attending should bring a copy of the Nicomachean Ethics (either in Greek or recommended translation). In preparation for the first two lectures, it would be useful to read Nicomachean Ethics 1.1-7. (ii) A further bibliography will be supplied for each of the major sections. (iii) There will be time for discussion/ questions at the end of each Thursday lecture.

118 The Later Philosophy of Wittgenstein Dr Bill Child W. 12 (weeks 1 to 4), University College (weeks 1 and 2: Goodhart

Seminar Room, weeks 3 and 4: 90 High Street Lecture Room)

Intended Audience: Undergraduates studying the Later Philosophy of Wittgenstein option. Anyone else interested in Wittgenstein. These lectures continue the series started in Michaelmas Term 2013, but will not presuppose attendance at those lectures. Topics to be covered include: the private

-outer and avowals; aspect perception. The lectures will aim to introduce students to Wittgenstein's views, to discuss competing interpretations, and to offer some assessment of those views in the light of other philosophical treatments of the same themes. No previous familiarity with Wittgenstein will be assumed.

119 Formal Logic II: Metamathematics Prof Adrian Moore T. 2 4,

This course is restricted to those taking paper 119 for Finals, and covers section (iii) of that paper. The topics to be covered are as follows: Week 1: Primitive Recursive Functions. Week 2: General and Partial Recursive Functions. Week 3: Turing Machines and Church's Thesis. Week 4: The Universal Machine. Week 5: Gdel's First Incompleteness Theorem: A Preliminary Sketch. Week 6: Gdel's First and Second Incompleteness Theorems: A More Rigorous

Approach. Week 7: Tarski's and Church's Theorems. Week 8: Second Order Logic. Please note: paper 119 will be available at Finals for the last time in Trinity Term 2014. After this time, other options in formal work in logic will be available.

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120 Intermediate Philosophy of Physics: Special Relativity

Dr Oliver Pooley and Dr Dennis Lehmkuhl M. T. 11, Radcliffe Humanities (Lecture Room)

The course investigates the conceptual foundations of special relativity and various philosophical implications of the theory. It starts with an historical overview of the state of physics in the 19th century, before Einstein entered the scene. We will then see how Einstein put different strands of 19th century physics together to create special relativity, and how, in the years following 1905, Einstein and colleagues rewrote classical physics in the context of special relativity. This achievement brought with it a new perspective on many old problems in both physics and philosophy, among them questions concerning the nature of space and its symmetries, the status of rigid bodies and their symmetries, and the question of the compatibility of traditional philosophical schools with physics. New philosophical questions also arise, including: to what extent are space and time parts of a more fundamental unitary entity (spacetime); whether the geometry of space time explains the behaviour of matter or vice versa; and to what extent ideas such as the passage of time, and persistence through time have to be modified or abandoned in the context of relativistic physics. The lectures are primarily aimed at second and third year undergraduates in the Physics and Philosophy course, and will from time to time presuppose the corresponding level of knowledge of physics, but they are open to anyone. The anticipated schedule is as follows: Week 1 (DL) Historical Background: the state of physics in the 19th century Week 2 (OP) Einstein's 1905 derivation of the Lorentz Transformations Week 3 (DL) The emergence of Minkowski spacetime Week 4 (DL) Relativistic mechanics Week 5 (DL) The role of special relativity in general relativity Week 6 (OP) Simultaneity; the Twin Paradox Week 7 (OP) The Dynamical Approach to Relativity: Geometry and Explanation Week 8 (OP) Relativity and the Philosophy of Time

121 Advanced Philosophy of Physics Dr David Wallace W. 11 1, Radcliffe Humanities (Ryle Room)

This series of classes will cover contemporary topics in the philosophy of statistical mechanics and in decoherence-based approaches to the quantum measurement problem (predominantly the Everett Many Worlds

and find out!) and much of the statistical-mechanical material will be relevant to the quantum-mechanical part of the course.

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The primary intended audience is MSt students in Philosophy of Physics and 4th year Physics & Philosophy undergraduates studying the Advanced Philosophy of Physics paper. Others (especially BPhil students with a Philosophy of Physics interest) are welcome; however, be aware that at various points I will be assuming familiarity with undergraduate-level quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics and with the quantum mechanics part of the Intermediate Philosophy of Physics paper, so those without a philosophy of physics background may not find the classes suitable for them. The provisional schedule is as follows:

Week 2: The Gibbsian approach to statistical mechanics Week 3: The Boltzmannian approach to statistical mechanics Week 4: Coarse-graining and the methods of contemporary non-equilibrium statistical mechanics Week 5: Consistent histories and decoherence Week 6: Emergence in the Everett interpretation Week 7: Probability in statistical mechanics Week 8: Probability in the Everett interpretation Other than weeks 4-5 (which will be fairly traditional lectures plus discussion) we will be working through 1-least for MSt/APP students) that you are willing to present the contents of one of the papers in a class at some point. Advance offers welcome (email david.wallace@balliol.ox.ac.uk). The paper for the first week will be Brown, H. R.; Myrvold, W. & Uffink, J. (2009), 'Boltzmann's H-theorem, its discontents, and the birth of statistical mechanics', Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 40, 174 191; other readings are available online on weblearn.

-5pm on Mondays (4pm-5pm in weeks 1,4,7) to discuss material in the previous class or relevant to the next, in Balliol staircase 14 room 6. Email me in advance if you plan to come to this; I will give priority to people presenting in the next class. For pr

have time, read (at least chapters 1-4 of) D. Albert, Time and Chance.

mailto:david.wallace@balliol.ox.ac.uk

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125 Philosophy of Cognitive Science II

Prof Martin Davies W. 10 12, Radcliffe Humanities (Lecture Room)

Each lecture will last for one hour. The room has been booked for two hours to provide an opportunity for informal discussion after the lecture. These lectures are primarily intended for students taking Philosophy of Cognitive Science for

have attended the Philosophy of Cognitive Science (I) lectures given by Dr Parrott and Dr Rashbrook in Trinity Term 2013. Students who did not attend those lectures are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the reading lists and PowerPoint presentations for them, which are still available on WebLearn. (Reading lists and PowerPoint presentations for earlier course of lectures, given in Hilary Term 2011 and Trinity Term 2012, are also still available on WebLearn.) Now that the half-paper 105b, Philosophy of Psychology and Neuroscience, has been replaced by the full FHS paper 125, Philosophy of Cognitive Science, there are sixteen core lectures: two courses of eight lectures, Philosophy of Cognitive Science I and II. We expect the normal pattern to be that students attend the Philosophy of Cognitive Science I lectures in Trinity Term of their second year and then the Philosophy of Cognitive Science II lectures in Michaelmas Term of their third year. In the 2013/14 academic year (exceptionally), the Philosophy of Cognitive Science II lectures are being offered in Hilary Term, instead of Michaelmas Term.

Neuroimaging evidence and cognitive theories The role of double dissociation in cognitive neuropsychology Computational models of cognitive processes Modularity and informational encapsulation Tacit knowledge in cognitive science and philosophy Conscious and unconscious knowledge in artificial grammar learning Theory and simulation in psychological understanding

Readings lists and PowerPoint presentations will be available on WebLearn.

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180 The Rise of Modern Logic 1879-1931 Dr Dan Isaacson M. W. F. 12, Radcliffe Humanities (Lecture Room)

This course is for students studying The Rise of Modern Logic 1879-1931 for either Part C Mathematics and Philosophy, or for the B.Phil. in Philosophy, but anyone else interested in the subject is welcome to attend, including those who might wish to attend just the lectures on a particular topic relevant to another subject. The format, 24 one-hour lectures, is unusual both as core lectures for a Philosophy Final Honour School subject, and as a Philosophy graduate class, but is necessitated by the nature of the material. Clarificatory questions at any time during the lectures are welcome, as are more general questions for discussion following any given lecture, or at other times by arrangement. The course will cover the following 7 topics (with the lectures in which each topic will be covered given in brackets):

I. -4); II. Logicism (5-7); III. The rise of set theory (8-11); IV. Development of the axiomatic method (12-15); V. The emergence and canonization of first-order logic (16-18); VI. -21); VII. Constructive mathematics and logi -24).

The specific topics to be covered in each lecture are posted in the WebLearn folder for this course, at https://weblearn.ox.ac.uk/portal/hierarchy/humdiv/philfac/lecture_reso The original source material for the developments covered in this course is mostly contained in Jean van Heijenoort (ed.), From Frege to Gdel: A Source Book in Mathematical Logic 1879-1931, Harvard University Press, 1967. Reading lists for each of the 7 topics, containing both primary sources and later writings, are posted in the WebLearn folder.

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Other Lectures (suitable for all audiences) Definite Descriptions and Reference

Dr Stephen Williams F. 10, Radcliffe Humanities (Lecture Room)

In these classes, I shall revisit the question whether definite descriptions should be classified as referring expressions or as implicitly quantificational. I shall examine both Russellian and contemporary quantificational accounts of definite descriptions, along with recent attempts to construe definite descriptions, including plural definite descriptions and those involving mass terms, as referring expressions. In so doing, I shall also consider more general questions concerning quantification and its relation to truth conditions theories of meaning. I shall begin (Lecture 1) with a general outline of the major problems to be considered,

Philosophical Dialogues: Mind, Body and Consciousness

Dr Peter Hacker F. 4.30

These meetings will consist of five-person dialogues on philosophical themes. Participants in the dialogues range from Socrates and Aristotle to Descartes, Frege and Wittgenstein. Some of the discussions take place in Elysium, others in an Oxford senior common room. The topics discussed are as follows: The Nature of the Mind; The Relation between Mind and Body; The Mysteries of Consciousness; Consciousness as Experience Consciousness as

The presentation of a dialogue takes approximately an hour. After each dialogue there will

-and-discussion time. Contemporary Perspectives in the Philosophy of Language

Ms Sarah Lane Smith T. 3 (weeks 1 to 4), Radcliffe Humanities (Lecture Room) These four lectures are intended to primarily benefit those who are taking paper 108, The Philosophy of Logic and Language, although their content will be of interest to students taking paper 102, Knowledge and Reality. Week 1- Names: This lecture will cover the debate between the descriptivist account and the Millian account of names. The well-known Kripkean criticisms of descriptivism will be surveyed alongside contemporary responses.

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Week 2- Indexicals and Demonstratives: Indexicality is a phenomenon that is central to many discussions in contemporary analytic philosophy. The Ka

Week 3- Two-Dimensionalism: This lecture shall cover the technical apparatus of two-dimensionalism, and several

ambitious forms of two-dimensionalism, such as those proposed by David Chalmers and Frank Jackson. Week 4- Relative Truth: Is there really any such thing as faultless disagreement? Do utterances about the way things will be in the future have a truth-value either currently or retrospectively? This lecture will critically survey the recent resurgence of interest in the notion of relative truth. Epistemological Issues Concerning Religious Belief Mr Max Baker-Hytch W. 4 (weeks 1 to 4), Schools The aim of this lecture series is to examine some of the core questions concerning the rationality of religious belief using the tools and concepts of contemporary analytic epistemology, and with attention to the epistemological implications of contemporary scientific explanations of religious belief. Lecture 1 begins by outlining some of the epistemological concepts and issues which will figure prominently in the subsequent lectures anti-luck conditions for knowledge, epistemic defeat, and the relevance of peer disagreement and considers the special issues which may arise when applying these concepts to religious belief. Lecture 2 examines the influential theory known as Reformed Epistemology, which alleges that if God exists then it is very likely that human beings are constituted in such a way that their non-inferential theistic beliefs can be knowledge. The bearing on this claim of current cognitive science of religion, which investigates the cognition involved in religious belief-formation, is explored. Lecture 3 looks at the prospects for so-called debunking arguments, which seek to move from premises about the necessary conditions for justification or knowledge, along with facts about the causal origins of religious beliefs, to the conclusion that religious beliefs are unjustified or fail to be knowledge.

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Finally, lecture 4 considers the epistemological issues raised by the facts of religious diversity and disagreement between mutually incompatible traditions, drawing upon recent work in the epistemology of disagreement.

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Graduate Classes G students. Other students may attend, and are welcome, provided they first seek and obtain the permission of the class-giver(s). With the more popular graduate classes, attendance by those outside of the BPhil and MSt can cause the teaching rooms to become overcrowded. In such circumstances, BPhil and MSt students, for whom these classes are intended, must take priority. Those not on the BPhil or MSt will be expected, if asked by the class-giver(s), to leave the class for the benefit of the intended audience.

Wittgenstein Dr Bill Child Th. 11 1, University College The class is intended primarily for BPhil students. But others (including 4th year undergraduates reading Maths and Philosophy or Physics and Philosophy) are welcome to attend by prior arrangement. If you wish to come, and are not a BPhil student, please e-mail me in advance (bill.child@univ.ox.ac.uk) to seek permission.

piece of required reading from the secondary literature, some recommended reading from Wittgenstein, and a small selection of optional supplementary readings. The required readings have been chosen to represent a range of interpretative and philosophical approaches. Some drawn from the Oxford Handbook of Wittgenstein are explicitly written as graduate-level introductory texts. Others are taken more widely from the secondary literature, but should be accessible to those reading Wittgenstein for the first time. I will introduce the first topic, in Week 1. Thereafter, each class will start with a brief presentation by one of those who are attending the class (or by more than one; you are welcome indeed, encouraged to collaborate in preparing and/or giving presentations). If

a particular topic, feel free to let me know before the

those I suggest below, subject to the overall aim of covering a range of periods and topics in s work, and exploring a range of different approaches.

Suggested topics and readings are as follows: Week 1 Required reading: Ian Proops and M.

McGinn (eds) The Oxford Handbook of Wittgenstein, Oxford: OUP, 2011.

mailto:bill.child@univ.ox.ac.uk

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Suggested reading from Wittgenstein: Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. There are two translations available; the original one by C. K. Ogden, and a subsequent translation by D. F. Pears and B. McGuinness. I prefer the latter, but the former is fine too. Optional further reading: Thomas Ricketts Tractatus

H. Sluga & D. Stern (eds), The Cambridge Companion to Wittgenstein, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996.

David Pears The False Prison vol I, chs 4-6 Week 2 Ways of Reading the Tractatus Required reading: Marie McGinn

Tractatus, Philosophical Quarterly, 1999, 491-513 Suggested reading from Wittgenstein: Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus Optional further reading: Cora Diamond

The Realistic Spirit (MIT Press, 1991). James Conant

The Senses of Stanley Cavell (Bucknell University Press, 1989). P. M. S. Hacker

Wittgenstein: Connections and Controversies Ian Proops European Journal of Philosophy,

2001. Week 3 Following a Rule Required reading: John McDowell Synthese March 1984. Reprinted

in A. W. Moore (ed) Meaning and Reference, Oxford: OUP, 1993; in Mind, Value and Reality, Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University

Press, 1998; and in A. Miller and C. Wright (eds), Rule-Following and Meaning, London: Acumen, 2002.

Suggested reading from Wittgenstein: Philosophical Investigations 143-242 Remarks on the Foundations of Mathematics, IIIrd edition, part VI Optional further reading: Saul Kripke Wittgenstein on Rules and Private Language, Oxford: Blackwell, 1982; also

available in the UK edition of I. Block (ed) Perspectives on the Philosophy of

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Wittgenstein, Oxford: Blackwell, 1981. Crispin Wright Wittgenstein on the Foundations of Mathematics, London: Duckworth, 1978,

is summarized in section 1 -

Holtzman and C. Leich, Wittgenstein: to Follow a Rule, London: Routledge, 1980.)

John McDowell French, T. Uehling, and H. Wettstein (eds) Midwest Studies in Philosophy XVII: The Wittgenstein Legacy, Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1992;

Mind, Value and Reality. Cora Diamond

Wittgenstein: Attention to Particulars Essays in Honour of Rush Rhees, London: Macmillan, 1989

Week 4 Sensation Language in Philosophical Remarks Required reading: David Stern

Philosophical Investigations: A Critical Guide (CUP, 2010)

Suggested reading from Wittgenstein: Philosophical Remarks, pp. 51 and 88-96 Ludwig Wittgenstein and the Vienna Circle: Conversations recorded by Friedrich Waismann, ed. B.

McGuinness, pp. 45-50. Optional further reading: David Pears The False Prison, vol 2, chapter vol II, chapter 12.) William Child Oxford Handbook of

Wittgenstein, pp. 395-99. Week 5 The Private Language Sections of Philosophical Investigations Required reading: P. M. S. Hacker Wittgenstein: Meaning and Mind- vol 3 of an Analytical Commentary

on the Philosophical Investigations private language

published as a single book, containing essays and exegesis. The paperback version is divided into two books: Part I, Essays; and Part II, Exegesis. You want Part I.)

Suggested reading from Wittgenstein: Philosophical Investigations 243-315 Optional further reading: David Stern Oxford Handbook of

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Wittgenstein. Gordon Baker , ed. K. Morris, Oxford: Blackwell,

2004, chapters 6 and 7. Marie McGinn Philosophical Investigations, 2nd edition, London: Routledge,

2013, chapter 4 Week 6 Required reading: Edward Witherspoon

and McGinn (eds) Oxford Handbook of Wittgenstein Suggested reading from Wittgenstein: The Blue and Brown Books, pp. 24-6 Philosophical Investigations, follow up the entries for Optional further reading: Rogers Albritton

Wittgenstein: The Philosophical Investigations, London: Macmillan, 1968. (You need to read this article in the Pitcher collection rather than its original 1959 J.Phil. printing, because the Pitcher version contains an important postscript.)

John McDowell Proceedings of the British Academy, 68, pp. 455- Mind, Value and Reality.

Marie McGinn Philosophical Investigations, 2nd edition, London: Routledge, 2013, pp. 205-14

Week 7 Required reading: Kim van Gennip ule-following, and Certainty: Exchanges

Oxford Handbook of Wittgenstein

Suggested reading from Wittgenstein:

Ludwig Wittgenstein: Philosophical Occasions 1912-1951, eds. J. Klagge & A. Nordmann, Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1993. Optional further reading: Bertrand Russell Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, 36,

1935-36, pp. 131-50

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Week 8 Knowledge, Certainty, and Scepticism Required reading: Duncan Pritchard Oxford

Handbook of Wittgenstein Suggested reading from Wittgenstein: On Certainty Optional further reading: G. E. Moore Contemporary

British Philosophy (Second Series), London: George Allen & Unwin, 1925; reprinted in Moore, Selected Writings, ed. T. Baldwin, London: Routledge, 1993.

G. E. Moore Proceedings of the British Academy, 25, 1939, 273-300; reprinted in Moore, Selected Writings.

Marie McGinn Sense and Certainty, Oxford: Blackwell, 1989, chapters 6 to 8. Crispin Wright Wittgenstein and Scepticism, London: Routledge, 2004.

The Rise of Modern Logic 1879-1931 Dr Dan Isaacson M. W. F. 12, Radcliffe Humanities (Lecture Room)

This course is for students studying The Rise of Modern Logic 1879-1931 for either Part C Mathematics and Philosophy, or for the B.Phil. in Philosophy, but anyone else interested in the subject is welcome to attend, including those who might wish to attend just the lectures on a particular topic relevant to another subject. The format, 24 one-hour lectures, is unusual both as core lectures for a Philosophy Final Honour School subject, and as a Philosophy graduate class, but is necessitated by the nature of the material. Clarificatory questions at any time during the lectures are welcome, as are more general questions for discussion following any given lecture, or at other times by arrangement. The course will cover the following 7 topics (with the lectures in which each topic will be covered given in brackets):

I. -4); II. Logicism (5-7); III. The rise of set theory (8-11); IV. Development of the axiomatic method (12-15); V. The emergence and canonization of first-order logic (16-18); VI. -21); VII. Constructive mathematics and logi -24).

The specific topics to be covered in each lecture are posted in the WebLearn folder for this course, at https://weblearn.ox.ac.uk/portal/hierarchy/humdiv/philfac/lecture_reso

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The original source material for the developments covered in this course is mostly contained in Jean van Heijenoort (ed.), From Frege to Gdel: A Source Book in Mathematical Logic 1879-1931, Harvard University Press, 1967. Reading lists for each of the 7 topics, containing both primary sources and later writings, are posted in the WebLearn folder. Aristotle on Categories in his Categories and elsewhere Dr Michael Peramatzis and Dr Paolo Fait W. 11 1, Worcester College

Categories, as well as several further texts in which Aristotle examines the notion of categories and the different ways in which

By way of introductory reading, apart from the Categories, it would be good to look at Categories and De Interpretatione, Oxford: OUP, 1963). We

shall give an extensive bibliography in the first meeting. Plan Wk 1. Introduction; Categories 1: Synonymy, Homonymy, Paronymy Wk 2. Categories 2-3: Kinds of Being Wk 3. Categories 4: The List of Categories Wk 4. Categories 5, 2a11-3a32: Substance I Wk 5. Categories 5, 3a33-4b19: Substance II Wk 6. Topics I.9: Substance, what-it-is, and the Categories Wk 7. Metaphysics .7; E.2; Z.1: Ways in which Being is said, and Categorial Being Wk 8. Metaphysics Z.4: Essence, Definition, and the Categories

A Prof Terence Irwin T. 2 4, Keble College (Seminar Room 1) OUTLINE Please consult Weblearn (Seminar Resources) before the first class for suggestions about reading.

relations between otopics will probably be these: 1. Virtue: What is a virtue? What is the difference between virtues of character and virtues of intellect? How are the virtues connected to the rational and non-rational aspects of a

doctrine of the mean best forgotten, or does it say something significant about the virtues?

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2. The virtues: What, if any, is the rationale for

own time? 3. Other-directed virtue: The virtue of character that Aristotle discusses at greatest length is justice. Why does it receive such prominent treatment? Is justice, as Aristotle conceives it, an important virtue? 4. The aim of the virtues: According to Aristotle, a common feature of all the virtues of character is that they aim at the kalon (the fine). What does this mean? What more do we learn about the virtues if we agree that they aim at the fine? 5. The virtues and practical reason. Aristotle argues that (i) every genuine virtue of character requires phronsis (prudence), and that therefore (ii) every virtue of character is inseparable from all the others. Does he present a good case for either of these two claims, or for the connexion that he sees between them?

that

offers a further option besides deontological and consequentialist (or Kantian and utilitarian) theories of the right. Is this the right way to understand Aristotlethe virtues? 7. Concern for the good of others: All of the three ethical treatises discuss friendship (philia) at some length. Is Aristotle right to make friendship so prominent in his ethical theory? How far does he give an adequate account of morally relevant types of concern for the interests of others? 8. Egoism and altruism: Aristotle is usually taken to be a eudaemonist, so that he takes

-being (eudaimoniashow that this outlook is compatible with the concern for others that is required by morality? Does he show that it actually requires such concern? FURTHER NOTES (a) This class is open to all students reading for an Oxford degree in Philosophy. Anyone else should contact me. (b) Knowledge of Greek is not required. No previous acquaintance with Aristotle will be presupposed. (c) We will discuss the three ethical treatises in the Aristotelian Corpus, the Nicomachean Ethics, the Eudemian Ethics, and the Magna Moralia. We will discuss some of the unsettled questions about the relations between the three treatises.

sense that we will not repeat the main topics of that class. However that class is not a prerequisite for this one. Knowledge of what was said last term will not be presupposed.

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(e) Participants in the class are welcome to offer a short paper to introduce discussion of one of the topics above, or a related topic. Priority will be given to MSt and BPhil students in Philosophy. The paper should take no more than 15 minutes. It need not be, and probably should not be, a polished paper. A series of notes or questions to provoke discussion would be especially welcome. Please consult me in advance about the topic of the paper. A draft of the paper should be sent to me by 09.00 on the Monday before each class. Topics in Medieval and Early Modern Philosophy Prof Cecilia Trifogli and Prof Gonzalo Rodriguez-Pereyra T. 4 6, Oriel College For the medieval side, we will mainly focus on the issue of individuation of substances, both material and immaterial, and we will present and discuss fundamental texts (in English translation) by Thomas Aquinas and John Duns Scotus, although we will include references to the positions of some philosophers criticized by Scotus (e.g., Henry of Ghent, and Giles of Rome). The main topics covered will be Aquinas' account of the individuation of material substances in terms of extended matter, Scotus's arguments for the necessity of a principle of individuation, Scotus's account of individuation of substances in terms of the so-called

individuation. Topics to be discussed will be his account of individuation in terms of the whole entity, his conception of the Identity of Indiscernibles as the principle of individuation, and his theory of the complete individual concept. Philosophy of Physics Dr David Wallace W. 11 1, Radcliffe Humanities (Ryle Room) This series of classes will cover contemporary topics in the philosophy of statistical mechanics and in decoherence-based approaches to the quantum measurement problem (predominantly the Everett Many Worlds

and find out!) and much of the statistical-mechanical material will be relevant to the quantum-mechanical part of the course. The primary intended audience is MSt students in Philosophy of Physics and 4th year Physics & Philosophy undergraduates studying the Advanced Philosophy of Physics paper. Others (especially BPhil students with a Philosophy of Physics interest) are welcome; however, be aware that at various points I will be assuming familiarity with undergraduate-level quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics and with the quantum mechanics part of the Intermediate Philosophy of Physics paper, so those without a philosophy of physics background may not find the classes suitable for them.

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The provisional schedule is as follows:

Week 2: The Gibbsian approach to statistical mechanics Week 3: The Boltzmannian approach to statistical mechanics Week 4: Coarse-graining and the methods of contemporary non-equilibrium statistical mechanics Week 5: Consistent histories and decoherence Week 6: Emergence in the Everett interpretation Week 7: Probability in statistical mechanics Week 8: Probability in the Everett interpretation Other than weeks 4-5 (which will be fairly traditional lectures plus discussion) we will be working through 1- ctation of attendance (at least for MSt/APP students) that you are willing to present the contents of one of the papers in a class at some point. Advance offers welcome (email david.wallace@balliol.ox.ac.uk). The paper for the first week will be Brown, H. R.; Myrvold, W. & Uffink, J. (2009), 'Boltzmann's H-theorem, its discontents, and the birth of statistical mechanics', Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 40, 174 191; other readings are available online on weblearn.

-5pm on Mondays (4pm-5pm in weeks 1,4,7) to discuss material in the previous class or relevant to the next, in Balliol staircase 14 room 6. Email me in advance if you plan to come to this; I will give priority to people presenting in the next class.

have time, read (at least chapters 1-4 of) D. Albert, Time and Chance.

mailto:david.wallace@balliol.ox.ac.uk

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Philosophy of Mind Dr Anil Gomes and Dr Matthew Parrott T. 2 4, Radcliffe Humanities (Ryle Room) Discussions of self-often begin by noting a contrast between the way in which we know our own mind and the way in which we know the mind of others but then continue in isolation from one another. This seminar will consider both aspects of our knowledge of mind. The aim is to shed light on both sides of the contrast by considering the character of and relations between each form of knowledge. 1. Introduction Main reading: A. Gomes (ms). Scepticism and Other Minds Background: C. Travis & M. Kalderon (2013). Oxford Realism. In M. Beaney (ed.) The

Oxford Handbook of The History of Analytic Philosophy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [2-3.]

2. Visiting Speaker: M.G.F. Martin (UCL) 3. Self-Knowledge: Constitutive Theories Main reading: M. Parrott (ms). Self-Blindness and Self-Awareness. Background: S. Shoemaker (2009). Self-Intimation and Second Order Belief. Erkenntnis 71

(1):35-51. 4. Perception and Other Minds Main reading: J. Smith. (2013). The Phenomenology of Faceto Face Mindreading.

Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 87 (2) Background: M.G.F Perceiving the

World. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Part 2, esp. 7.] 5. Visiting Speaker: Bill Child (Oxford) 6. Self-Knowledge: Agency and Transparency Main reading: M. Boyle (2011). Transparent Self-Knowledge. Aristotelian Society

Supplementary Volume 85 (1):223-241. Background: R. Moran (2012). Self-

In D. Smithies and D. Stoljar (eds.) Introspection and Consciousness. Oxford:

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Oxford University Press. 7. Testimony and Other Minds Main reading: to be decided Background: 8. Visiting Speaker: Quassim Cassam (Warwick) Philosophy and Psychology of Reasoning Dr Philipp Koralus Th. 4.15 (Wilfred Knapp Room) Week 1: What is rationality for humans? (Florian Steinberger, Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy). Readings: Harman, Change in View. Cherniak, Minimal Rationality.

Week 2: Mental models, heuristics, and Bayesianism (Mike Oaksford, Birkbeck Psychology) Readings: TBA Week 3: Language and interpretation (Salvador Mascarenhas, NYU Linguistics) Readings: TBA Week 4: Questions and inferences (Salvador Mascarenhas, NYU Linguistics) Readings: TBA Week 5: Expected utility theory and the psychology of nudges (David Huffman, Oxford Economics) Readings: TBA

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Week 6: Reasons and Preferences (Christian List, Politics/Philosophy LSE; Franz Dietrich, Economics, East Anglia) Readings: TBA Week 7: Questions and Decisions Readings: TBA Week 8: Reasoning in mental illness Readings: TBA Epistemology Prof John Hawthorne and Dr Lizzie Fricker W. 11 1, Radcliffe Humanities (Ryle Room) Philosophy of Science

Dr Chris Timpson and Dr Dennis Lehmkuhl F. 11 1, Brasenose College (Platnauer Room)

This class is intended for those offering Philosophy of Science in the BPhil, for Philosophy of Physics MSt students, and for anyone else who might be interested. Some degree of background in philosophy of science will be assumed, such as might be acquired by having attended the core lectures for FHS in philosophy of science, given in Michaelmas term. In this class we will look at a range of topics in the philosophy of science in some greater depth. Topics to be covered are expected to include: recent reassessments of the pessimistic meta-challenges to the semantic account of theories; reduction, emergence and the return of Nagelian reduction; recent literature on the notion of incommensurability, Bayesian confirmation theory and its application for decision making; conventionality vs. empiricism with geometry as a case study; and the role of idealization in science and in thought experiments in particular.

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Each week, a target piece of reading will be specified, which everyone attending the class will be expected to have read and to have thought about. (See Weblearn for details of the proposed target readings, and for some background and further readings.) Classes will begin with a brief introduction to, or summary of, the target piece (or pieces), as a jumping-off point for discussion. At the first-week class, volunteers will be sought to provide these brief introductions in subsequent weeks. Philosophy of Religion

Prof Brian Leftow T. 3 5, Schools

-level courses. It will provide a graduate-level introduction to some main issues in philosophy of religion, by reading and discussion of some of the las most significant work on those issues. After the first session, sessions will begin with a 5- topic and basic readings, given by a student. B.Phil. students offering work in philosophy of religion in this

Topics will probably be (in order) 1. Ontological arguments (Prof. Leftow presenting) 2. Evil as an evidential problem for theism 3. Can religious belief be rational without evidence? (Plantinga and the thesis that it can be

4. Cosmological arguments 5. Design arguments 6. Moral arguments for theism 7. Religious experience and theism 8. The plurality of religions and the rationality of theism Readings: 1. Introduction; ontological arguments (Leftow)

John Schellenberg, Divine Hiddenness and Human Reason, 18-39.

Coercion and the Hiddenness of GodAmerican Philosophical Quarterly 30 (1993), 27-38. Daniel Howard- The Argument from Divine HiddennessCanadian Philosophical Quarterly 26 (1996), 433-53. 3. Evil as evidence against theism

The Problem of Evil and Some Varieties of AtheismAmerican Philosophical Quarterly

Skeptical Theism and Rowe's New Evidential Argument From Evil. Nous 35, 278 296.

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4. Causal arguments I Richard Swinburne, The Existence of God, chs. 1-8. 5. Causal arguments II John Mackie, The Miracle of Theism, 81-7, 95-101, 146-9. 6. Can religious belief be

Reason and Belief in God Faith and Rationality, 16-93. 7. Religious experience and religious belief William Alston, Perceiving God, chs. 4, 5, 7. 18 8. The problem of religious diversity

Problems of Religious Pluralism and Religious Studies 17 (1982)

Religious Pluralism and Salvation in Philip Quinn and Kevin Meeker, eds., The Philosophical Challenge of Religious Diversity and Faith and Philosophy

Pluralism: A Defense of Religious ExclusivismMeeker, eds., The Philosophical Challenge of Religious Diversity and Faith and Philosophy

Aesthetics (continued from MT2013) Prof Roger Scruton T. 4.30 6.30 (weeks 1 to 4), Blackfriars Hall (the Aula) This seminar is designed for B. Phil students and doctoral students. Undergraduates in their third year, who are writing a dissertation in aesthetics, are welcome to attend. The course is open to students from other disciplines, but the central discipline will be philosophy, and the topics will be largely philosophical. However, because aesthetics is relevant to, and fed from, other disciplines notably the study of art, literature, architecture, film and music there is a wide selection of topics from which to choose. Students interested in attending can look at the rough syllabus for last year, which is on my

Value Theory Dr Hilary Greaves and Dr Ralf Bader F. 11 1, Radcliffe Humanities (Ryle Room) The class will examine the following topics in value theory: (i) The debate between utilitarianism and prioritarianism (over the connection between individual well-being and overall good).

and prioritarians alike require.

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of any notion of overall good in ethics. (iv) Buck-passing and fitting-attitude theories of value. Those attending the first class should pre-read the following papers for discussion: - Parfit, D. (1997). Equality and priority. Ratio, 10(3), 202-221. - Otsuka, M., & Voorhoeve, A. (2009). Why it matters that some are worse off than others: an argument against the priority view. Philosophy & Public Affairs, 37(2), 171-199. - Greaves, H. (MS) Antiprioritarianism. These papers, together with an extended r

- - - Feminism and/in Philosophy

Dr Pamela Anderson W. 11 1, Radcliffe Humanities (Meeting Room 4)

can be explored as a position within philosophy, which is gradually transforming the field, branch by branch. The class will begin by considering a brief history of feminism in

a contradiction in terms. The philosophical writings of Michle Le Doeuff will play a pivotal

its most basic sense of someone who knows that something is still not right in the relations between a woman and everybody else, in other words men, other women, the supposedly

itself, but which you must leDoeuff, , p. 28). All graduates are well to attend, as well as interested undergraduates. Volunteers from the graduates will present papers or projects for discussion concerning feminism and/in philosophy.

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On What Matters Mr Derek Parfit and Prof Roger Crisp W. 4.30 6.30, Radcliffe Humanities (Ryle Room)

On What Matters, and perhaps other recent work by Parfit. Each will begin with a presentation (15 minutes maximum) by a graduate student. The first seminar will cover chapters 1.1-4, and the second chs. 1.5-7. The third seminar will be on chs. 1.12, 14, 16. Topics of further seminars are yet to be decided. Graduate students interested in presenting should contact Roger Crisp. Political Philosophy and Philosophy of Law Prof John Gardner and Dr Tom Sinclair Th. 11 1, Radcliffe Humanities (Ryle Room) This class addresses eight topics at the intersection of political and legal philosophy. In each

The class is intended for those who are interested in the topics in question and in detailed analysis of arguments addressing those topics. Because several of the topics are foundational for both areas, it will also serve as an introduction to political and legal philosophy in general. No legal or political philosophical expertise is presupposed. The topics are as follows.

1. Rights 2. Authority 3. Punishment 4. Killing and self-defence 5. Legal positivism 6. Human rights 7. Equality and egalitarianism 8. Global justice and domestic obligations

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Normativity, Rationality and Reasoning

Prof John Broome and Dr Felix Pinkert M. 10 12, Radcliffe Humanities (Ryle Room)

We shall be reading and discussing John Broome's book Rationality Through Reasoning (available as hardcopy and online), as well as related literature on normativity, rationality, metaethics, deontic logic and reasoning. Each week, one or two students will be asked to take responsibility for leading the discussion and perhaps for proposing supplementary reading. The provisional programme is as follows: Week 1: Ought (chapters 1-3) Week 2: Reasons (chapters 4-6) Week 3: Requirements (chapters 7-8) Week 4: Rationality (chapters 9-10) Week 5: Rationality and Normativity, Higher-Order Reasoning (chapters 11-12) Week 6: First-Order Reasoning (chapter 13) Week 7: Practical Reasoning (chapter 14) Week 8: Explicit and Enkratic Reasoning (chapters 15-16) This programme may change according to the interests of the seminar participants. It can be extended into Trinity Term if we find we cannot keep up with the schedule.

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Regular Faculty Seminars Moral Philosophy Seminar Dr Edward Harcourt and Dr Guy Kahane (Conveners) M. 4.30 6.30, Radcliffe Humanities (Lecture Room) These seminars take place every week in term time throughout the year, on Mondays from 4.30 to 6.30 in the Lecture Room at the Philosophy Centre, Radcliffe Humanities, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6GG. All philosophers are welcome to attend, and also to join the speaker for drinks after the talk, and later for dinner.

Jan 20 Alex Silk (Birmingham)

Jan 27 Nathaniel Coleman (UCL)

Feb 3 Justin Clarke-Doane (Birmingham)

Feb 10 Anna Alexandrova (Cambridge)

Feb 17 Weyma Lbbe (Regensburg)

Feb 24 Yair Levy (Oxford)

Mar 3 Joseph Raz (Columbia/KCL)

Mar 10 Elizabeth Ashford (St Andrews)

Philosophy of Mathematics Research Seminar Dr Volker Halbach and Dr Dan Isaacson (Conveners) M. 4.30 6.30

(weeks 3, 5, 6, 8), Radcliffe Humanities (Ryle Room) W3, 3 Feb: ystein Linnebo (Oslo) W5, 17 Feb: Andrew Irvine (UBC), Categoricity and Alethic Modality W6, 24 Feb: Peter Aczel (Manchester) W8, 10 Mar: Julien Murzi (Kent/Munich)

Post-Kantian Philosophy Seminar Dr Manuel Dries and Dr Joseph Schear T. 5 7 (even weeks 1, 4, 6, 8), Radcliffe Humanities (Ryle Room) The Post-Kantian European Philosophy Seminar is a seminar series devoted to the study and discussion of post-Kantian European philosophy, welcoming speakers from within Oxford and elsewhere to present work in a workshop format. Colleagues and graduate students with an interest in this tradition are very welcome to take part.

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28 Jan Dr Sacha Golob (KCL) Foucault and the Subject(s) 11 Feb De Lea Ypi (LSE) Partisanship and political commi 25 Feb Dr Irene McMullin (Essex) Courage and the Death of the Dear Self 11 Mar Dr Katherine Withy (Georgetown) Making Sense of Heidegger on Sense-

Making Power Structuralism in Ancient Ontologies Seminar and Reading Group

Dr Anna Marmodoro and Dr Brian Prince Times and dates as below, Corpus Christi College (Fraenkel Room)

22 January 2014, 4:30pm-6:30pm, Fraenkel room, Corpus Christi College Thomas Sattig (University of Tbingen) Invited Speaker, 'Pluralism and Determination' 28 January 2014, 2:30pm-4:00pm, Fraenkel room, Corpus Christi College Tomasz Tiuryn (University of Warsaw) Visiting Speaker 29 January 2014, 4:30pm 6:30pm, Fraenkel room, Corpus Christi College

istr 5 February 2014, 4:30pm-6:30pm, Fraenkel room, Corpus Christi College Rgnvaldur Ingthorsson (University of Lund) Invited Speaker, 'Casual Production as Interaction: A Causal Account of Persistence and Grounding' 11 February 2014, 2:30pm-4:00pm, Fraenkel room, Corpus Christi College

Visiting Speaker 12 February 2014, 4:30pm 6:30pm, Fraenkel room, Corpus Christi College

19 February 2014, 4:30pm-6:30pm, Rainolds room, Corpus Christi College John Dupr (University of Exeter) Invited Speaker, 'Processes and Powers' 26 February 2014, 4:30pm 6:30pm, Fraenkel room, Corpus Christi College

hemistr 5 March 2014, 4:30pm-6:30pm, Fraenkel room, Corpus Christi College Neil Williams (University at Buffalo) Invited Speaker, 'Powers: from Neighbourhoods to Necessity'

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12 March 2014, 4:30pm 6:30pm, Fraenkel room, Corpus Christi College

http://www.power-structuralism.ox.ac.uk. Work in Progress in Ancient Philosophy

Prof David Charles and Prof Terence Irwin Th. 5 7, Radcliffe Humanities (Ryle Room)

23 January 2014 David Ebrey (Northwestern) TBC 30 January 2014 Dr Karen Nielsen (Somerville) Decision and Deliberation in the Magna Moralia and the Eudemian Ethics 06 February 2014 Frans de Haas (Leyden) TBC 13 February 2014 Andrew Barker (Birmingham) Adrastus of Aphrodisias and the Timaeus: two idiosyncratic arguments on musicological issues 20 February 2014 Luca Castagnoli (Durham) Aristotle on the Non-Cause Fallacy 27 February 2014 Brian Prince (Oxford) Socrates' Form Theory in the Phaedo 06 March 2014 Ackrill Lecture TBC 13 March 2014 Elena Cagnoli Fiecconi (CCC) Harmonia, Melos and Rhythmos: the Non- on

http://www.power-structuralism.ox.ac.uk/

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Philosophy of Physics Research Seminar Dr Dennis Lehmkuhl (Convener) Th. 4.30 6.30, Radcliffe Humanities (Lecture Room) Please see the website at http://users.ox.ac.uk/~ppox/general/seminar.html for more details. Titles of talks will appear in due course. Interested parties are encouraged to sign

admin@philosophy.ox.ac.uk with your details). Theoretical Philosophy Work in Progress Seminar Mr Martin Pickup (Convener) F. 1 3 (even weeks), Radcliffe Humanities (Lecture Room) Seminar website: http://users.ox.ac.uk/~twip/. This seminar, open to faculty and graduate students, provides a forum for faculty members

broadly construed. The seminar aims to facilitate contact and cooperation within the large group of philosophers in Oxford working in these areas, and to familiarise graduate students with the range of work being done in the faculty. Work to be discussed is linked from the TWiP website in advance (typically a week before the seminar). Each seminar begins with a short presentation of the main ideas of the work under discussion by its author. Anyone with an interest in the topic of the paper under discussion is encouraged to attend even if they haadvance. Discussion is fairly informal, and as befits a work in progress seminar, the focus is on constructive and useful feedback. Philosophy of Mind Work in Progress Dr Matthew Parrott (Convener) F. 1.15 3 (weeks 3, 5, 7) Radcliffe Humanities (Lecture Room) For more information, please contact the organizer (matthew.parrott@philosophy.ox.ac.uk).

http://users.ox.ac.uk/~ppox/general/seminar.htmlmailto:admin@philosophy.ox.ac.ukhttp://users.ox.ac.uk/~twip/mailto:matthew.parrott@philosophy.ox.ac.uk

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The Jowett Society / Philosophical Society Various conveners F. 3.30 5.30, Radcliffe Humanities (Lecture Room) The Jowett Society and the Philosophical Society at Oxford University provide a forum for discussion of philosophical issues for all members of the Faculty of Philosophy. The Jowett Society dates back to the 19th century and was named in honour of Benjamin Jowett, master of Balliol College. Previous speakers include Russell, Wittgenstein, and Davidson. http://jowettsociety.wordpress.com/

http://jowettsociety.wordpress.com/

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Other Events Cognitive Science of Religion and Our Concept of God Dr Helen De Cruz M. 11 1, Radcliffe Humanities (Meeting Room 4) Those wishing to attend this course should email Dr De Cruz in advance (helen.decruz@philosophy.ox.ac.uk). Course description Religion is ubiquitous. At least 80% of the current world population believes in God, and virtually everyone has on at least one occasion taken part in a religious ceremony or ritual. Why do so many people believe in entities like gods, ghosts and ancestors? Why do people engage in the performance of rituals, and observe food taboos and religious dress code? This course provides a comprehensive survey of the topics and questions in cognitive science of religion (CSR), the interdisciplinary study of the thought processes that underlie religious beliefs and practices. CSR emerged in the late 1980s and is at present a vibrant and multifaceted field of inquiry. The course not only presents an overview of ongoing discussions but also probes lesser-researched domains, such as the role of testimony in the transmission of religious belief, and the relationship between science and religion. While the readings will be primarily from the cognitive science literature, there will be connections to topics in philosophy and theology. Target audience This course is aimed at graduate students, but recent or more advanced PhD holders are also welcome. The target audience are cognitive scientists (including, e.g., cognitive psychologists,developmental psychologists), philosophers and theologians, students of religious studies, and anyone else who wants to gain a better understanding of the cognitive processes involved in religious belief and practice. The course does not require a background in cognitive science, as all the relevant concepts will be introduced during the classes. Course goals, format and preparation This course does not provide a formal evaluation and is designed to help students and researchers get a sense of the literature in CSR and its relevance for philosophy and theology. Classes will take place once per week during Hilary term. Each class will take 2 hours,starting with a 40-minute lecture that will contextualize the topic of the readings, followed by group discussion. When relevant, participants are encouraged to discuss how these topics relate to their own research, and briefly present ongoing research projects and papers (10-minute presentations). They will get the opportunity for feedback from others.

mailto:helen.decruz@philosophy.ox.ac.uk

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All papers to be read for this course and the PowerPoint files of the lectures can be downloaded in due course from Weblearn. Each session will feature two required papers to read, alongside some further suggested (but not required) readings. In order to participate, it is vital that you read at least the required readings prior to each class. Overview of the course Note: Minor deviations from the syllabus may occur. Week 1 Cognitive science of religion: key issues, topics and approaches This session introduces CSR, the interdisciplinary study of the cognitive basis of religious beliefs and practices. We will trace the roots of CSR within natural histories of religion, psychology of religion and sociology of religion. We will discuss two comprehensive theories

pothesis that religious beliefs owe their advantage over other beliefs by being more memorable. Readings: _ Barrett, Justin (2007). Cognitive science of religion: What is it and why is it? Religion Compass 1: 768 786. _ Bloom, Paul (2007). Religion is natural. Developmental science 10: 147 151. Week 2 Belief in supernatural beings. Are we intuitive theists? We will focus on the claim that humans have a natural propensity to believe in supernatural beings, such as gods, ghosts and ancestors. What is the basis of this natural propensity? How do we conceptualize supernatural agents? If theism is intuitive, why are some people atheists? Readings: _ Psychological Science 15: 295 301. _ Norenzayan, Ara, and Will M. Gervais (2012).The origins of religious disbelief. Trends in cognitive science 17: 20 25. Week 3 Religious testimony, trust and the transmission of religious belief Religious beliefs are transmitted and sustained by processes of social transmission, where testimony plays an important role. What are the features of testimony to religious beliefs? How do children and adults evaluate the testimony to religious ideas, such as miracle claims? Readings: _ Harris, Paul & Kathleen Corriveau (in press). Learning from testimony about religion and science. In: Elizabeth Robinson & Shiri Einav (Eds). Trust and

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Psychology Press. _ De Cruz, Helen & Johan De Smedt (accepted). The argument from miracles and the cognitive science of religious testimony. Chapter from a book manuscript A natural history of natural theology, under contract with MIT Press. Week 4 Are religious beliefs and practices adaptive? This week will focus on the hypothesis that religious beliefs and practices are adaptive, focusing on the role of religious practices and beliefs in fostering cooperation within groups. Readings: _ Purzycki, Ben & Sosis, Richard (2011). Our gods: variation in supernatural minds. In U.J. Frey, C. Strmer, Kai P. Willf (Eds), Essential building blocks of human nature (pp. 77 83). Berlin: Springer _ Shariff, Azim, Norenzayan, Ara, & Henrich, Joseph (2010). The birth of high gods. How the cultural evolution of supernatural policing influenced the emergence of complex, cooperative human societies, paving the way for civilization. In M. Schaller, A. Norenzayan, S.J. Heine, T. Yamagishi, & T. Kameda (Eds.), Evolution, culture, and the human mind (pp. 179 195). New York and London: Psychology Press. Week 5 Science and religion: two competing modes of explanation? What are the similarities and differences between scientific and religious beliefs? How do scientific and religious explanations differ, and are they compatible or incompatible? We

beliefs are not, religious and

scientific modes of explanation. Readings: _ Legare, Cristine, Evans, E. Margaret, Rosengren, Karl S., & Harris, Paul L (2012). The coexistence of natural and supernatural explanations across cultures and development. Child Development 83: 779 793. _ McCauley, Robert (2012). Why religion is natural and science is not. Oxford University Press (excerpts). Week 6 Religious beliefs about human persons: prelife, afterlife, mind and soul Humans intuitively conceive of themselves as not purely physical beings, but as beings that have (or are) souls or spirits, capable of living on in the afterlife and sometimes also with a pre-existence. Why do we believe in an afterlife? Why do we think of the human mind as distinct from the body? Readings: _ Bering, Jesse (2006). The folk psychology of souls. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 29: 453 462.

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_ assumption that humans are intuitive Cartesian substance dualists. Journal of Cognition and Culture 8: 3 4. Week 7 The experiential component of religion: religious experience and religious practices Religion has an important experiential component; it relies on practices like prayer and ritualized actions to instill and maintain religious attitude focus on this important dimension of religion, looking at the role of religious practices in maintaining religious beliefs, paying attention to recent anthropological and neuroscientific research. Readings: _ Luhrmann, Tanya (2012). When God talks back. Understanding the American evangelical relationship with God. Vintage (excerpt). _ Schjoedt, Uffe (2009). The religious brain: A general introduction to the experimental neuroscience of religion. Method & Theory in the Study of Religion 21: 310 339. Week 8 The implications of CSR for the rationality of religious beliefs Does the origin of religious beliefs have any implications for its justification? This class explores justifying and debunking arguments for religious beliefs based on CSR. Readings: _ John Wilkins & Paul Griffiths (2013). Evolutionary debunking arguments in three domains: fact, value and religion. In G.W. Dawes & J. MacLaurin (Eds), A new science of religion (pp. 133 146). Abingdon: Routledge. _ Clark, Kelly & Justin Barrett (2011). Reidian religious epistemology and the cognitive science of religion. Journal of the American Academy of Religion, 79, 639 675. Philosophy of Criticism

Dr James Grant and Dr Andrew Klevan T. 4 6 (weeks 2, 5), Radcliffe Humanities (week 2: Colin Matthew Room, week 5: Ryle Room)

The aim of this seminar series is to consider philosophical and methodological questions relevant to criticism of the arts, including literature, music, film (and other audio-visual forms), fine art, architecture, and design. We will be looking principally, though not exclusively, at questions of value and evaluation. The seminars will normally involve a presentation by an invited guest speaker on an article or chapter to be read by seminar participants in advance as a prelude to a discussion.

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The sessions in Hilary Term are as follows:

Week 2 (Colin Matthew Room)

The reading is available here: http://www.matthewkieran.com/storage/writing-work/M%20Kieran%20Creativity%20Virtue%20Final.pdf

Week 5 (Ryle Room): Derek Matravers (Open Universit

The reading is available here: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aesthj/aym021 Participants who are unable to read the whole paper may focus on sections 12 to 15 (p.359 end).

Philosophy of Criticism is a part of the Comparative Criticism and Translation research programme, based jointly at The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities and College, and supported also by the John Fell OUP Research Fund. Philosophy and Technology Research Seminar

Prof Luciano Floridi and Mr James Williams some Thursdays, 12.30-2, Oxford Internet Institute (1 St Giles) check website for details

PhilTech is the annual, multidisciplinary seminar series that brings prominent and influential speakers to the Oxford Internet Institute in order to advance critical understanding of the conceptual nature and practical consequences of technologies, and to provide new ideas about their fruitful and sustainable developments. Each PhilTech seminar will be preceded by a lunch reception at 12:30. Registration is free but required for organisational purposes. Please see details of each seminar in order to register. Further details: http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/events/series/philtech/ Week 3 Professor Week 5 Dynamic Consent: Using Technology to Improve Medical Research Week 7 details to be confirmed soon check website.

http://www.matthewkieran.com/storage/writing-work/M%20Kieran%20Creativity%20Virtue%20Final.pdfhttp://www.matthewkieran.com/storage/writing-work/M%20Kieran%20Creativity%20Virtue%20Final.pdfhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aesthj/aym021http://www.torch.ox.ac.uk/researchhttp://www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk/homehttp://www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk/homehttp://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/events/series/philtech/

43

The Philosophy of Gilbert Ryle

Dr Erasmus Mayr and Ms Natalia Waights Hickman Th. 2 4, Radcliffe Humanities (Lecture Room, except weeks 3, 7: Ryle Room)

This seminar is intended to provide an introduction to Ryle's philosophy, through discussion of selected papers from different areas and periods of his work. Four of the eight sessions will be devoted to key chapters of Ryle's best known work The Concept of Mind. In the other four sessions we will consider other essays which together give an indication of both the breadth of Ryle's work and of his (changing) approach to philosophy. Each session will begin with a 15-20 minute introduction of the target reading or topic by an invited speaker, after which we will have open discussion. The class is open to all philosophy graduates and faculty. For further information contact the organisers: erasmus.mayr@philosophy.ox.ac.uk natalia.waightshickman@philosophy.ox.ac.uk Week 1 (23rd Jan): Introduction and "The Thinking of Thoughts: What is 'Le Penseur' Doing?" (repr. in Ryle, Collected Essays, Vol. 2, Routledge 1971); Natalia Waights Hickman to introduce. Week 2-5 The Concept of Mind Week 2 (30th Jan): "Knowing how and Knowing that" (ch. II); Ian Rumfitt to introduce. Week 3 (6th Feb): "The Will" (ch. III); John Hyman to introduce. Week 4 (13th Feb): "Dispositions and Occurences" (ch. V); Anthony Kenny to introduce. Week 5 (20th Feb): "Sensation and Observation" (ch. VII); Peter Hacker to introduce. Week 6 (27th Feb): "Systematically Misleading Expressions" (repr. in Ryle, Collected Essays, Vol. 2, Routledge 1971); Roger Teichmann to introduce. Week 7-8 Dilemmas Week 7 (6th March): "It Was to Be" (ch. II); Erasmus Mayr to introduce. Week 8 (13th March): "Achilles and the Tortoise" (ch. III); Daniel Isaacson to introduce.

mailto:erasmus.mayr@philosophy.ox.ac.ukmailto:natalia.waightshickman@philosophy.ox.ac.uk