NEIL W. TENNANT
tennant.9@osu.edu
If you email me, please use the header PHIL 860: YOURNAME.
Professor
Department of Philosophy
|
Autumn Term 2003
PHIL 860: Belief-Revision
Research Seminar Prerequisites: introductory logic, and some experience with both conceptual analysis and theory of knowledge. Aims of this course. We aim to become conversant with all the major concepts and controversies of mainstream discussion in belief-revision (a.k.a. theory-revision, or theory-dynamics), in the course of putting forward a new theory that is philosophically sound, logically precise and computationally implementable. More details are available in the Outline. Topics. All theories of theory-revision address this problem: What is the best way to revise a theory once one changes one's mind about the truth-value of any of its claims? And is there an effective method for finding the sought revision(s)? To answer these questions, we need to re-consider exactly how one should represent a theory, and especially the justificatory relations among the statements within it. This examination opens up a host of important epistemological issues, to do with finitizability of sets of reasons, foundationalism v. coherentism, relative entrenchment of beliefs, minimal mutilation, and the a priori status of logical inferences. We need to get clear also about the adequacy conditions that it would be reasonable to impose on any theory of rational theory-revision. No published theory (in the instructor's considered opinion) is fully adequate. Some theoretical proposals will be put forward to remedy the various inadequacies detected in AGM-theory and in JTMS-theory.
Background reading (on 24-hour Reserve in Main Library):
Downloads: A useful on-line bibliography in philosophy of science Assessment:
|
|
Policy on attendance at classes
Term paper due on Friday, November 28, 2003; worth 90% of grade.
Write about 4000 words on one of the following topics.
1. @.
2. @.
3. @.