Event Timeslots (1)
Thursday
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It is almost a commonplace that rational argumentation - that is, the giving and demanding of reasons - is the central method of philosophy par excellence, and that most philosophers like nothing better than to argue endlessly and tirelessly with one another. All the more surprising, then, is the fact that in contemporary metaphilosophy many methods have received significantly more attention, even though they are far less central. Examples include the role of intuitions in philosophy, thought experiments or - more recently - the use of experimental methods in philosophy. It therefore seems timely to refocus on the role of argumentation as the central philosophical method. In this seminar, we will discuss metaphilosophical questions about the role of argumentation and disagreement in philosophy, as well as examine foundational approaches to argumentation theory and their relevance for philosophy. Basic knowledge of elementary logic and argumentation theory is helpful for the seminar but not required. Reading and discussing English texts, on the other hand, should not be a problem.