PHIL 50.27 Categories

What is there? What are the most fundamental kinds of beings and how are they related to nonfundamental beings? Is it possible to develop a system of categories to identify the highest genera of being and to map the basic structure of reality? Do categories sort extramental entities or concepts or cognitive structures? Are they determined by logic or language? Philosophy is rich with competing attempts to develop categorical systems of reality, cognition, and meaning. This course will examine both historical and contemporary approaches to categories and their importance, including skeptics of the entire undertaking. Authors to be considered may include Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Ockham, Suárez, Kant, Frege, Husserl, Heidegger, Ryle, Chisholm, Strawson, Dummett, Westerhoff, Lowe, and Brandom.

Prerequisite

Two Philosophy courses, or permission of the instructor.

Degree Requirement Attributes

Dist:TMV

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