PHIL 16N: External World Skepticism
General Education Requirements
Not currently certified for a requirement. Courses are typically considered for Ways certification a quarter in advance.
Course Description
Most of us assume we live in a three-dimensional, physical world of people, tables, chairs, squirrels and electrons. Very few of us worry that we might be in the infamous Matrix. But how do we really know that the external world exists? The only evidence available to us seems to be our ever changing sensations. Do those sensations really give us reliable evidence for the existence of the external world? We’ll look at Descartes’ classic arguments but most of the class will be focussed on contemporary philosophical discussions of the issue. A significant portion of the class will involve learning the modern tools of mathematical logic, probability theory, and Bayesianism. The class will begin with a short test to figure out how much of that material needs to be covered based on the knowledge-level of the participants.
Meet the Instructor: Nadeem Hussain
"I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy. My areas of research include metaethics, metaphysics, and the philosophy of science. I did my undergraduate degree in Symbolic Systems at Stanford while enjoying the amazing food of Wilbur and Stern Halls. I did my PhD at The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. I’ve been a faculty member at Stanford since 2000. When not thinking about philosophy, I enjoy scuba diving and sailing."
