Dr. Pedersen’s research interests include Heidegger, nineteenth- and twentieth-century Continental Philosophy, and Philosophy of Action. Courses that Dr. Pedersen teaches include Informal Logic: Methods of Critical Thinking, Introduction to Philosophy, and Ethics.
]]>The Seminar is directed by John Heil and will be held at Washington University in St. Louis.
]]>Synopsis
Quine famously argued against the existence of an “analytic/synthetic” distinction, which is (roughly) the distinction between statements that we can know simply by understanding their meaning, and statements that we can know only because we know something about the world. To deny this distinction is to deny that there’s a principled distinction between specifications of the meanings of expressions, and specifications of what speakers believe about the referents of expressions. In this paper, I take a look at what I take to be one of the most important arguments in favor of positing the existence of an analytic/synthetic distinction, namely, that it’s the best explanation of our semantic/conceptual intuitions. Contemporary Quineans in philosophy and cognitive science argue that there are alternative explanations of these intuitions that do not involve positing any analyticities. I consider the most recent Quinean attempt to explain away such intuitions, put forward by Eric Margolis and Stephen Laurence, and argue that it fails. I suggest that part of the reason for this is that they fail to recognize an important implication of the explanatory case of analyticity, namely, that analyticity must be divorced from truth.
]]>Instructions:
Prior to the deadline above, submit one copy of your paper to Prof. Brad Rives (in person or in his mailbox). Papers must be typed, at least eight double-spaced pages in length, and written in standard font with standard margins. Please prepare your paper for blind review: remove all identifying remarks and include a detachable cover sheet with your name, e-mail address, and the paper’s title.
All IUP Philosophy majors and minors are invited to submit a paper on any philosophical topic. Papers will be judged by a panel of Philosophy faculty members.
Location: HUB Susquehanna Room
The purpose of this talk is twofold. First, it will provide something of an introduction to the philosophical ideas of Ludwig Wittgenstein, one of the most important philosophers of the twentieth century. Dr. Fox will not presuppose any familiarity with Wittgenstein’s work. Second, Dr. Fox will relate Wittgenstein's ideas on the notion of self-expression: what kinds of limitations are there on what we would call “self- expression” (be it of a spoken, written, or traditionally “artistic” type)? The results are perhaps not what we would naively expect, and they have implications for how we characterize our relationships to others.
]]>Come celebrate the twenty-first anniversary of the PASSHE Interdisciplinary Association for Philosophy and Religious Studies at our annual conference to be held at IUP on April 11 – 12, 2008. PASSHE IAPRS presents papers in all areas of philosophy and religious studies by undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty members (both current and emeritus).
]]>Indiana University of Pennsylvania, April 11-12, 2008
Come celebrate the twenty-first anniversary of the PASSHE Interdisciplinary Association for Philosophy and Religious Studies at our annual conference to be held at IUP on April 11-12, 2008. PASSHE IAPRS seeks papers in all areas of philosophy and religious studies by undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty members (both current and emeritus).
Deadline is March 1, 2008 March 6, 2008.
E-mail submission is preferred. Attach the paper/abstract (preferably as a Word document) to an e-mail message indicating the items listed above for the cover sheet (students) or abstract (faculty). Send the message to caraway@iup.edu.
For hard-copy submission, send three copies of the paper, separate cover sheet (students only), and abstract (faculty and students) to
Professor Carol Caraway
Department of Philosophy
Sutton Hall, Room 452
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana, PA 15705