|
It is widely held in philosophy and psychology that concepts are the fundamental building blocks of thought. Anything that is going to play as ambitious a role as has been set aside for concepts immediately invites questions about just what concepts are. In this seminar we will pursue this question as it has loomed in the 20th century. Given the contours of the contemporary debate, we will need to make substantial forays into metaphysics, epistemology, the theory of meaning, and cognitive psychology.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Fodor, Jerry (1997). Concepts: Where Cognitive Science Went Wrong. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. (Available at Water Street books.)
Prinz, Jesse (forthcoming). Furnishing the Mind: Concepts and Their Perceptual Basis. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. (WORD file available from the instructor.)
Margolis, Eric and Laurence, Stephen (eds.) (1999). Concepts: Core Readings. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. (Available at Water Street books.)
Additional required texts can be accessed on the web. Please find links below in the schedule of assignments. I will assume that each of you has reliable and convenient internet access. If this is not the case, please see me for printouts of the electronic texts.
GRADING
1. Participation
Discussion is essential to the vitality of the seminar. Thoughtful participation in discussion is also one indicator that you are reading carefully. Thus, the instructor reserves the privilege of treating participation as constituting up to 10% of the final grade.
Many students are concerned with this aspect of the classroom dynamic, but it should not be a source of anxiety. Keep in mind that your first priority is reading the assignments carefully and working diligently on the writing for the course. Thoughtful, honest, and respectful participation derives from these. Every effort will be made to ensure that the class is a welcoming forum for sharing serious ideas. In addition, 'participation' is more inclusive than many students realize. Being attentive and engaged in class, asking clarificatory questions, and discussing aspects of the course with the instructor during office hours all fall under this heading.
2. Attendance at Seminar Colloquia
We will have several distinguished guests visit the seminar this semester to discuss their work on concepts and to participate in our reflections on the themes of the seminar. Our guests have also been invited to give an evening lecture on some of their current research. Depending on the travel schedule of the visitor, the lectures may be on Wednesday or Thursday.
There is an extremely strong presumption and expectation that you will attend evening lectures. This is a crucial way of creating a healthy philosophical community at Williams.
3. Seminar Symposium Piece
Each week, one or in some cases two students will craft a symposium paper to be included among the readings for the seminar. The task for the symposium author(s) will be to synthesize and comment on the material. It will be her, his, or their responsibility to provide an overview of the principal issues for that week. Symposium authors are also encouraged to offer critical comments in their work.
Symposium pieces will be due by the middle of the Tuesday before our seminar meeting. Symposium authors may themselves distribute their papers by email to the entire seminar, or they may send it to the instructor (who will then pass the paper along).
Below you will find your symposium assignments. When two symposium authors are indicated, it is because there is more material than a single author could reasonably tackle. It is the responsibility of the pair of symposium authors to determine how they want to divide the assignment.
About 6 pages (no maximum). Typewritten, double spaced in a 12 point font. No title page. 20% of final grade
Grading on weekly seminar papers and the final paper will be anonymous. Please turn in all of your papers with only your Williams ID number on it (in some unobtrusive place, such as the back page). Papers must reflect original thoughts and ideas. Any direct quotations or paraphrased material from outside sources must be credited and footnoted in your favorite style. Violation of this constitutes plagiarism. If you have questions about how the honor code applies to written work, please do not hesitate to contact me.
4. Weekly seminar papers
In addition to writing one seminar symposium piece, you are required to write at least 8 seminar papers over the course of the semester. Your seminar papers should focus on one thesis or theme from that week's readings. These short assignments are intended to stimulate class discussion.
You may elect to write for whichever 8 seminar meetings you choose, with the restriction that everyone must write a seminar paper on our days with visitors. You should avoid writing your seminar paper on the symposium paper or readings that are purely overview. (Thus, your first choice should be to avoid writing on the Laurence and Margolis essay.)
About 2 pages (3 maximum). Typewritten, double spaced in a 12 point font. No title page. 40% of final grade.
5. Essay on concepts
The final assignment for the seminar involves crafting a longer treatment of concepts. In many cases it will be advisable and acceptable for your essay to be a substantial revision of your symposium paper, a seminar paper, or both.
Due by 5:00 on December 15th (the last day the Dean's office allows written work to be turned in).
12-15 pages recommended (no maximum). Typewritten, double spaced in a 12 point font. No title page. 30% of final grade.
CLASS RESOURCES
The instructor holds office meetings each week in Stetson 407. They are:
Additional times are available by special arrangement. Students are welcome to visit individually or in groups.
Students with disabilities who may need disability-related classroom accommodations for this course are encouraged to set up an appointment to meet with me as soon as possible and to contact the Dean's Office (at extension 4262) to better insure that accommodations are provided in a timely manner.
SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND READINGS
(You are advised to read the material in the order indicated)
|
|
| Discussion: |
Concepts |
| Readings: |
| i) |
Laurence and Margolis, "Concepts and Cognitive Science,"
Section 1, pp. 3-8
|
| ii) |
Laurence and Margolis, "Concepts and Cognitive Science,"
Appendix, pp. 75-77
|
| iii) |
Prinz, The Furniture of the World, Chapter 1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion: |
On Definitional Approaches to Concepts |
|
Readings: |
| i) |
Laurence and Margolis, "Concepts and Cognitive Science,"
Section 2, pp. 8-26.
|
| ii) |
Wittgenstein, from Philosophical Investigations, in Margolis and Laurence (1999)
|
| iii) |
Quine, "Two Dogmas of Empiricism," in Margolis and Laurence (1999)
|
| iv) |
Prinz, The Furniture of the World, Chapter 2
|
| v) |
Symposium author: Ezra Goldschlager
|
|
|
|
26
|
| Discussion: |
The Move from Definitional to Probabilistic Approaches to Concepts |
| Readings: |
| i) |
Laurence and Margolis, "Concepts and Cognitive Science," Section 3, pp. 27-43
|
| ii) |
Putnam, "Is Semantics Possible?" in Margolis and Laurence (1999)
|
| iii) |
Rosch, "Principles of Categorization," in Margolis and Laurence (1999)
|
| iv) |
Armstrong, Gleitman and Gleitman, "What Concepts Might Not Be,"
in Margolis and Laurence (1999)
|
| v) |
Symposium author: LaToya Stephens |
|
|
|
October
3
|
| Discussion: |
More on Prototype and Exemplar Theories of Concepts |
| Readings: |
| i) |
Smith and Medin, "The Exemplar View," in Margolis and Laurence (1999)
|
| ii) |
Lakoff, "Cognitive Models and Prototype Theory," in Margolis and Laurence (1999)
|
| iii) |
Rey, "Concepts and Stereotypes," in Margolis and Laurence (1999) |
| iv) |
Prinz, The Furniture of the World, Chapter 3
|
| v) |
Symposium author: Gregory Kim |
|
|
|
10
|
|
Discussion: |
The Theory-Theory |
|
Readings: |
| i) |
Laurence and Margolis, "Concepts and Cognitive Science," Section 4, pp. 43-51
|
| ii) |
Murphy and Medin, "The Role of Theories in Conceptual Coherence," in Margolis and Laurence (1999)
|
| iii) |
Carey, "Knowledge Acquisition: Enrichment or Conceptual Change?" in Margolis and Laurence (1999)
|
| iv) |
Prinz, The Furniture of the World, from Chapter 4, section 4.1
|
| v) |
Symposium author: Paul La Rosa |
|
|
|
17
|
|
Discussion: |
Neo-Classical Theories |
|
Readings: |
| i) |
Laurence and Margolis, "Concepts and Cognitive Science,"
Section 5, pp. 52-59
|
| ii) |
Jackendoff, "What Is a Concept, That a Person May Grasp It?"
in Margolis and Laurence (1999)
|
| iii) |
Peacocke, "Precis of A Study of Concepts," in Laurence and Margolis (1999)
|
| iv) |
Rey, "Resisting Primitive Compulsions," in Margolis and Laurence (1999)
|
| v) |
Peacocke, "Can Possession Conditions Individuate Concepts?" in Margolis and Laurence (1999)
|
| vi) |
Symposium authors: Anselm McClain and Jack Linehan |
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion: |
|
Neo-Empiricism |
|
Readings: |
|
Prinz, The Furniture of the World, Chapters 5, 6 and 7 |
SEMINAR VISITOR: JESSE PRINZ (Washington University, St. Louis)
|
|
|
|
Discussion: |
Concepts and the Representational Theory of Mind |
|
Readings: |
| i) |
Fodor, Concepts, Chapters 1 and 2
|
| ii) |
Symposium author: Katharine Baker |
|
|
|
November
7
|
| Discussion: |
Vague Concepts |
| Readings: |
|
SEMINAR VISITOR: DIANA RAFFMAN (Ohio State University)
|
|
14
|
|
Discussion: |
Toward Informational Atomism |
|
Readings: |
| i) |
Fodor, Concepts, Chapters 3-5
|
| ii) |
Symposium author: Jason Carini |
|
|
|
21
|
THANKSGIVING RECESS
|
|
28
|
SEMINAR VISITOR: STEPHEN YABLO (MIT)
|
|
December
5
|
|
Discussion: |
Informational Atomism |
|
Readings: |
| i) |
Laurence and Margolis, "Concepts and Cognitive Science,"
Section 6, pp.59-71
|
| ii) |
Fodor, Concepts, Chapters 6 and 7
|
| iii) |
Prinz, The Furniture of the World, Chapter 4, section 4.2
|
| iv) |
Prinz, The Furniture of the World, Chapter 8, section 8.2.3
|
| v) |
Symposium authors: Eric Katerman |
|
|
|
|
