Is it even possible for people from two radically different cultures understand one another’s thoughts and words? Some scientists, philosophers, and other academics have suggested so. In this course we will consider one classic case on the question: Berlin and Kay’s Basic Color Terms (1969), a worldwide study of color terminology and taxonomy. Reading the ensuing debates, we will ask ourselves: do we and those around us see, think about, and speak of the same colors as a person living, say, in the Amazon or in the middle of Africa? Toward the end of the course, we will take up the question of cultural relativism more generally. Student performance will be evaluated by write three short essays, reading journal entries, and participation.

Anticipated Credit Equivalencies:

4 - Philosophy of Mind