EpistemologyEpistemology►Area of Philosophy that Area of Philosophy that

deals with questions deals with questions concerning knowledgeconcerning knowledge

►Philosophy of KnowledgePhilosophy of Knowledge

EpistemologyEpistemology►Is knowledge

possible?►If so, how do we

obtain it?►What does this

knowledge say about the world?

EpistemologyEpistemology

Who cares?Who cares?

EpistemologyEpistemology► Is it possible to Is it possible to

predict the predict the future?future?

Allegory of the CaveAllegory of the Cave

What is knowledge?What is knowledge?► I believe that John I believe that John

passed the testpassed the test► John did not pass John did not pass

the testthe test

► I have no opinion I have no opinion regarding whether regarding whether John passed the testJohn passed the test

► John passed the testJohn passed the test

► The coin flip came The coin flip came up heads so I up heads so I believe that John believe that John passed the testpassed the test

► John passed the testJohn passed the test

What is knowledge?What is knowledge?► I looked at Johns I looked at Johns

test and his score test and his score was 90%was 90%

► I have no reason to I have no reason to believe that this believe that this score is inaccuratescore is inaccurate

► Based on these Based on these considerations I considerations I believe that John believe that John passed the testpassed the test

► John passed the testJohn passed the test

►TrueTrue►Justified Justified ►BeliefBelief

SkepticismSkepticism►The claim The claim that we do that we do not have not have knowledgeknowledge

SkepticismSkepticism► Senses can be Senses can be

deceiveddeceived► Universal Belief Universal Belief

falsifiers:falsifiers: Strategies used by Strategies used by

skeptics to attack skeptics to attack knowledge claims by knowledge claims by showing that there showing that there are states of affairs are states of affairs that would prevent that would prevent us from us from distinguishing true distinguishing true beliefs from false beliefs from false onesones

SkepticismSkepticism► General skeptical argumentGeneral skeptical argument• We can find reasons for doubting any one of We can find reasons for doubting any one of

our beliefsour beliefs• It follows that we can doubt all of our beliefsIt follows that we can doubt all of our beliefs• If we can doubt all of our beliefs then we If we can doubt all of our beliefs then we

cannot be certain of any of themcannot be certain of any of them• If we do not have certainty about any of our If we do not have certainty about any of our

beliefs then we do not have knowledgebeliefs then we do not have knowledge• Therefore, we do not have knowledge Therefore, we do not have knowledge

SkepticismSkepticism► Rene DescartesRene Descartes ► Wanted to find the Wanted to find the

same type of same type of certainty in certainty in philosophy as is philosophy as is mathematicsmathematics

► Methodological Methodological skepticismskepticism

► Cogito Ergo Sum ( I Cogito Ergo Sum ( I think Therefore I am)think Therefore I am)

EmpiricismEmpiricism►Claim that Claim that

sense sense experience is experience is the primary the primary source of our source of our knowledge knowledge about the worldabout the world

RationalismRationalism►Claim that Claim that

reason or the reason or the intellect is the intellect is the primary source primary source of our of our knowledge knowledge about realityabout reality

ConstructivismConstructivism(Kantian Epistemology)(Kantian Epistemology)

► Claim that Claim that knowledge is neither knowledge is neither already in the mind already in the mind nor passively nor passively received from the received from the experience but that experience but that the mind constructs the mind constructs knowledge out of the knowledge out of the materials of materials of experienceexperience

ConstructivismConstructivism(Kantian Epistemology)(Kantian Epistemology)

ObjectivismObjectivism► The claim that there The claim that there

is one set of is one set of universal truths or universal truths or facts about the facts about the world and that world and that these truths are these truths are independent of usindependent of us

Epistemological Epistemological RelativismRelativism

► There is no There is no universal, objective universal, objective knowledge of reality knowledge of reality because all because all knowledge is either knowledge is either relative to the relative to the individual or his or individual or his or her cultureher culture

Epistemological Epistemological RelativismRelativism

SubjectivismSubjectivism

-- The claim -- The claim that beliefs are that beliefs are relative each relative each person’s person’s individual individual perspectiveperspective

Cultural Cultural RelativismRelativism -- -- The claim that The claim that beliefs are beliefs are relative to a relative to a particular particular cultureculture

ObjectivismObjectivism► The claim that there The claim that there

is one set of is one set of universal truths or universal truths or facts about the facts about the world and that world and that these truths are these truths are independent of usindependent of us

What is the Truth?What is the Truth?► Correspondence Correspondence

theory of truththeory of truth

► 1. Reality has a 1. Reality has a determinant objective determinant objective charactercharacter

► 2. A statement is true 2. A statement is true or false to the degree or false to the degree that it corresponds to that it corresponds to or represents the or represents the objective features of objective features of realityreality

► Jack is six feet tallJack is six feet tall

What is the Truth?What is the Truth?► Perspectivism:Perspectivism:► Theory that there Theory that there

cannot be any cannot be any uninterpreted facts uninterpreted facts or truths about or truths about because everything because everything that we encounter is that we encounter is seen from one seen from one perspective or perspective or anotheranother

PerspectivismPerspectivism