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Epistemology Review

Epistemology Review. What is knowledge?. Epistemology. One of the ‘pillars of philosophy” Explores the nature, scope, limits and origin of human knowledge Touches on all branches of philosophy. Knowledge. Justification Defining “knowledge”? Truth. Science vs Epistemology.

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Epistemology Review

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  1. Epistemology Review What is knowledge?

  2. Epistemology • One of the ‘pillars of philosophy” • Explores the nature, scope, limits and origin of human knowledge • Touches on all branches of philosophy

  3. Knowledge • Justification • Defining“knowledge”? • Truth

  4. Science vs Epistemology • Disciplines in constant disagreement • Science: materialist (observation/evidence-based approach) • Epistemologists may question the “evidence” of the senses (not reliable knowledge) • Einstein and Heisenberg – order vs. chaos

  5. Kongfuzi say: At fifteen my heart was set on learning;At thirty I stood firm;At forty I had no more doubts;At fifty I knew the mandate of heaven;At sixty my ear was obedient;At seventy I could follow my heart's desire without transgressing the norm. Confucius  The Analects

  6. Rationalism • Reason the primary source of human knowledge • The senses are ________________________________________________________________________________________ • Rationalists include: Plato, Descartes

  7. Empiricism • All knowledge comes from experience which is ultimately acquired through the senses • Mind is a _______or _______ ________at birth. Experiences are gained through the senses giving birth to ideas • Key players: ____________, ________________

  8. Epistemology terms • a priori– • a posteriori-

  9. examples • 5 is a prime number • We had too much snow this winter • All brothers are male siblings • The coffee is too hot • If Liam 1 has more pencils than Liam 2 and Loredana has more pencils than Liam 1 then Loredana has more pencils than Liam 2

  10. Why does this matter? • “I didn’t know I was that close” • “I didn’t know that the ice was that thin” • All facts, opinions and beliefs formed are exercises in epistemology. Eg. “I’m not going to be late”, “That’s not dirty yet” • Common sense realism – “what you see is what you get” is ___________________________________ _________________________________________

  11. Plato and knowledge • Knowledge is defined as a “justified true belief” • 3 conditions: -_________________________ -_________________________ -______________________________ Problem: What if statement is based on false assumption or knowledge? Eg. Cow in the field?

  12. Is this knowledge justified? • Did the farmer “know” that the cow was in the field? • Although he may be justified in making the claim his actual “evidence” was false • The fact that his original statement was true does not mean that he “knew” the truth at the time

  13. Justified True Belief – Gettier style

  14. Types of knowledge • Direct knowledge – ________________________________________________________________________________________________ e.g. smelling someone’s perfume • Indirect knowledge – ________________________________________________________________________________________________ e.g. sitting on a chair, not seeing its legs, but still knowing it will support your weight. Not always reliable (i.e. thin ice)

  15. Types of knowledge Bertrand Russell – 20th century philosophyer • Knowledge by acquaintance – ________________ ____________________________________________ But… how do we account for knowledge of true events that we do not experience (e.g. signing of Declaration of Independence)? • Knowledge by description – ___________________ _____________________________________________

  16. Types of knowledge • Competence – “how to” knowledge. Knowledge as ability • Propositional knowledge – information that can be conveyed in words. Propositions differ from statements as they can be judged as either _________ or __________ e.g. “Mike weighs 200 pounds” vs. “Shut the door!” Both are statements but only the 1st is a proposition as it can be said to have truth value

  17. Foundationalism vs. Anti-Foundationalism • Foundationalists believe that knowledge rests on the foundation of ___________ ____________(Aristotle, Descartes, _______) • Anti-foundationalists argue that knowledge is ________. (Plato)

  18. Foundationalist Experience Knowledge A posteriori A priori Innate Ideas • Anti- Foundationalist

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