Research Methods in Analytic Philosophy

Basic Information

Course modules 2025/2026 (Provisional)
Lecturer
Joshua Shepherd
Andrea Rivadulla-Duró
Semester
1st.
Department
Department of Philosophy
University
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Module
Module 2. Research Methods in Analytic Philosophy
Code
570626
Credits
5
Language
English

Description

This course will provide an introduction to the methods, tools and skills that are necessary to engage in discussions in contemporary analytic philosophy.

The course will be structured as follows. (Subject to revision if necessary):


Week 0 (Sept 23)
Intro to the course, discussion of the plan
Week 1 (Sept 30)
Conceptual analysis
Jackson, F. (1994). Armchair metaphysics. In Philosophy in mind: The place of philosophy in the study of mind (pp. 23-42). Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands.
Laurence, S., & Margolis, E. (2003). Concepts and conceptual analysis. Philosophy and phenomenological research, 67(2), 253-282.
Week 2 (Oct 7)
Reflective equilibrium
Cath, Y. (2016). Reflective equilibrium. The Oxford handbook of philosophical methodology, 1.
Kelly, T., & McGrath, S. (2010). Is reflective equilibrium enough?. Philosophical perspectives, 24, 325-359.
Week 3 (Oct 14)
Gendler on thought experiments
Gendler, T. S. (1998). Galileo and the indispensability of scientific thought experiment. The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 49(3), 397-424.
Gendler, T. S. (2004). Thought experiments rethought—and reperceived. Philosophy of Science, 71(5), 1152-1163
Week 4 (Oct 21)
Ameliorative analysis and concept choice
Haslanger, S. (2000). Gender and Race:(What) Are They?(What) Do We Want Them to Be? Noûs, 34(1), 31-55.
Plunkett, D. (2015). Which concepts should we use?: Metalinguistic negotiations and the methodology of philosophy. Inquiry, 58(7-8), 828-874.
Week 5 (Oct 28)
Genealogy
Queloz, M. (2021), The Practical Origins of Ideas, chap 1, chap 8

(Nov 4 – NO CLASS)


Week 6 (Nov 11)
Shepherd, J., & Justus, J. (2015). X-phi and Carnapian explication. Erkenntnis, 80, 381-402.
Williamson, T. (2016). Philosophical criticisms of experimental philosophy. A companion to experimental philosophy, 22-36.
Week 7 (Nov 18)
Verbal disputes
Chalmers, D. J. (2011). Verbal disputes. Philosophical Review, 120(4), 515-566.
Week 8 (Nov 25)
How to write for publication
(We will suggest a number of on-line sources)
Week 9 (Dec 2)
Presentations and commentaries
Week 10 (Dec 9)
Presentations and commentaries

Learning outcomes

Basic Competences

  • CB8: Students should be able to integrate information and form complex judgements on the basis of limited or partial information, including reflections on the ethical and social implication related to their area of research in analytic philosophy.
  • CB9: Students should be able to communicate effectively their arguments and conclusions to a specialized audience in a clear and rigorous manner.
  • CB10: Students should be able to acquire learning skills that allow them to pursue their studies in an autonomous manner.

General Competences

  • CG1: Students should be able to analyze, assess and construct valid arguments, and to identify formal and informal fallacies.
  • CG2: Students should be able to design, create and develop original research projects in their chosen areas of study in analytic philosophy.
  • CG4: Students should be able to work both autonomously and as part of a team, in order to provide arguments for and against different positions in analytic philosophy, and provide examples.

Specific Competences

  • CE1: Students should be able to critically engage with the concepts and methods of contemporary analytic philosophy.
  • CE4: Students should be able to assess the writings of leading contemporary philosophers in the field of analytic philosophy.
  • CE5: Students should be able to identify and critically engage with the current state of a particular philosophical debate, and form a reasoned view, even if provisional, about it.
  • CE7: Students should be able to critically use specialized terminology in the field of analytic philosophy.

Evaluation

The final grade for the course will be based upon response papers to weekly readings (7 total, 5% each, 35%), an in-class presentation (45%), and participation in presentation Q&A (20%).


Response papers
These will be one-page responses to selected readings. The format and our expectations will be discussed further in class.


In-class presentations
We will discuss these further in class.

Bibliography

Background readings:

  • Cappelen, Herman et al. (eds.) (2016). The Oxford Handbook of Philosophical Methodology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • D’Oro, Guiseppina and Overgaard, Sven (eds.) (2017). The Cambridge Companion to Philosophical Methodology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

General Resources:

 

  • UNC Writing Centre: https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/
  • Purdue Writing Centre: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html
  • Jim Pryor, “Guidelines on Writing a Philosophy Paper” (updated 2012): http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/guidelines/writing.html
  • Douglas W. Portmore, “Tips on Writing a Philosophy Paper” (updated 2012): http://www.public.asu.edu/~dportmor/tips.pdf
  • Simon Rippon, “A brief guide to writing the philosophy paper," https://hwpi.harvard.edu/files/hwp/files/bg_writing_philosophy.pdf