COGS 350 Experimental Philosophy

Experimental philosophy is the process of using the methods of experimental psychology to inform questions of traditional philosophical concern, typically by using surveys or other instruments to evaluate whether philosophers' intuitions and judgments accurately represent generally held beliefs. In this class, we will discuss the historical antecedents for contemporary practice of, and critical reactions to, the project of experimental philosophy via study and discussion of central works in the field. We will be concerned with questions such as: what do the tools of experimental philosophy reveal about the practice and content of traditional philosophy? To what extent are these tools valid for drawing conclusions about philosophical claims, arguments, and disputes? Can the methods of experimental philosophy supplement, or even potentially replace, traditional methods of doing Philosophy?