Skepticism, Knowledge and Understanding
FYSEMR 31J
Subject & Catalog Number
Course Information
Description
Descartes wrote his Meditations (1641) because he realized that, although he had received the best education in the world, much of what he had learned was false or unfounded. This led him to embark on a systematic investigation to discover whether knowledge is possible. Harvard students face a similar predicament. Having dutifully learned what they were taught, and evidently learned it well, some find themselves questioning its cognitive adequacy. Much that they learned in school seems superficial, incomplete, oversimplified, or incorrect. Is it possible to know the way the world is? Can I know that I am not a brain in a vat being manipulated into thinking that I am an embodied human being? Can I know that the Louisiana Purchase occurred in 1803, that electrons have negative charge, that Hamlet is a masterpiece, that the sun will rise tomorrow? Can I know that Biden was fairly elected, that Covid vaccines are safe, that anthropogenic climate change is real?
Until recently, worries about skepticism might have seemed idle. But today we are inundated with suspect information. Some people reject well-founded contentions as 'fake news', appeal to 'alternative facts' when standard facts fail to align with their opinions. They dismiss warnings about climate change and recommendations about public health as partisan propaganda. Deep fakes and conspiracy theories are widespread. What should we think? Are there good reasons to accept some claims and reject others? If so, what are they? What assurance do they provide? Understanding the nature, scope, and vulnerability of claims to knowledge will aid in assessing such contemporary issues.
NOTE: The seminar will include several field trips to Harvard museums.
Class Notes
First-Year Seminars are available only to first-year students. You may apply to both Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 First-Year Seminars via the FYS lottery between July 6 and August 6, 2026 at 11:59PM-midnight.
You may apply to as many seminars each term as you would like, but we recommend you apply to at least six in fall and three in spring.
As part of your application, you must provide a brief statement on why you are interested in each seminar. You will be notified of lottery results for both fall and spring seminars at 5 pm on August 11. If you are unsuccessful in the lottery, you may still join any seminar with open seats. A list of open seminars and instructions on next steps will be available on the First-Year Seminar Program website August 11 at 12 Noon.
Not Available for Cross Registration
