Philosophers have been struggling to get clear on the concept of knowledge for millennia. What does knowledge require of us? Why is it distinctively valuable? (Is it?) What are its proper sources? How can we be said to know something if we can’t rule out the possibility of error in any given case? This course will focus on recent philosophical developments in Epistemology — especially the social context of knowledge and the significance of an individual’s intellectual character as a responsible believer. These theories arguably have a timely relevance: we will apply them to such topics as propaganda, “fake news”, rumor, hearsay, conspiracy theories, denialism, and the general suspicion of expertise. 
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Pre-Requisite: PHIL 100​ (or permission — email me or stop by my office)