Admission requirements
Admission to the MA Philosophy 60 EC: Philosophy of Knowledge is required.
Description
Course objectives
The first part of the course will provide an introduction to 20th century philosophy of language, and, in particular, to questions concerning non-referential names. The second part of the course focuses on the analysis of fiction and focuses on the metaphysics of fictional worlds. The third part will provide an overview of discussions in the philosophy of time as applied to fiction. Besides getting a handle on these general philosophical topics (reference, the metaphysics of fictional worlds, time), the students will come to understand the relation between general philosophical theories and more specific areas of application such as fiction.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
Seminar
Assessment method
The grade is made up out of 3 parts.
Short comprehension assignments that check the basic knowledge of that week’s text of that week at the end of class (15%)
A presentation on one of the texts during one of the classes (20%)
A 3000–4000-word essay related to one of the texts discussed during class, or on one of the discussed topics (reference to fictional objects, the nature of fictional worlds or fictional time). Designing one’s own research question for the paper is part of the assignment. (65%). For the essay there will be room to discuss your idea with the lecturer and hand in a setup for your essay beforehand, although this will not be mandatory.
Weighing
The final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average. To pass the course, the weighted average of the partial grades must be 5.5 or higher.
Resit
The resit will consist of the possinbility of writing a new paper, which will replace the entire course grade.
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Reading list
Every week will contain different readings. Readings will be made available. The following gives an overview of the readings:
Plato, Sophist excerpts on speaking of non-being.
Parmenides, On Nature (excerpts on speaking of non-being).
Jacek Pasniczek, The Meinongian Logic of Fiction in The School of Alexius Meinong.
Quine, On What There Is.
Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigation (Excerpts dealing with empty names)
Frege, Sense and Reference.
Russell, On Denoting.
Kripke, Reference and Existence I
Kriipke, Reference and Existence II
Van Inwagen, Creatures of Fiction.
Van Inwagen, Existence, Ontological Commitments, and Fictional Entities.
Lewis, Truth in Fiction.
Byrne, Truth in Fiction; the Story Continued.
Walton, Mimesis as Make-believe.
Currie, The Nature of Fiction.
Voltolini, How Ficta follow Fictions.
Thomassen, Fiction and Metaphysics.
Abell, Fiction; A Philosophical Analysis.
Currie, McTaggart at the Movies.
Currie, About Time: Narrative, Fiction and the Philosophy of Time.
Le Poidevin, Time and Truth in Fiction.
Le Poidevin, Fate Fiction and the Future.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap(https://mijn.universiteitleiden.nl/login) is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Registration À la carte education, Contract teaching and Exchange
For the registration of exchange students contact Humanities International Office(mailto:exchange@hum.leidenuniv.nl).
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Arsenaal Reuvensplaats Huizinga De Vrieshof
Student Affairs Office for BA International Studies
Remarks
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