Meno: True Opinion Vs. Knowledge
Jiaxiang Wei (William)
PHIL 210 essay (Final Version)
Dec. 7, 2012
True opinion versus knowledge Knowledge is generally thought to require justified true belief, even if justified true belief is not sufficient for knowledge, as Edmund Gettier famously argued. In the Meno, Plato demonstrates that true opinion is not equal to knowledge. However, Gettier holds a different opinion that justified opinion is not equal to knowledge, but it is necessary to knowledge. I support the Plato’s opinion that true opinion is not equal to knowledge, and that justified opinion is not necessary to having knowledge of something. In the Meno, Plato explores the relationship between knowledge and true opinion. For instance, Plato states, “As long as he has the right opinion about that of which the other has knowledge, he will not be a worse guide than the one who knows, as he has a …show more content…
The person believes that p. This belief might be more or less confident. And it might — but it need not — be manifested in the person’s speech, such as by her saying that p or by her saying that she believes that p. All that is needed, strictly speaking, is for her belief to exist. Truth. The person’s belief that p needs to be true. If it is incorrect instead, then — no matter what else is good or useful about it — it is not knowledge. It would only be something else, something lesser. Admittedly, even when a belief is mistaken it can feel to the believer as if it is true. But in that circumstance the feeling would be mistaken; and so the belief would not be knowledge, no matter how much it might feel to the believer like knowledge. Justification. The person’s belief that p needs to be well supported, such as by being based upon some good evidence or reasoning, or perhaps some other kind of rational justification. Otherwise, the belief, even if it is true, may as well be a lucky guess. It would be correct without being knowledge. It would only be something else, something
PHIL 210 essay (Final Version)
Dec. 7, 2012
True opinion versus knowledge Knowledge is generally thought to require justified true belief, even if justified true belief is not sufficient for knowledge, as Edmund Gettier famously argued. In the Meno, Plato demonstrates that true opinion is not equal to knowledge. However, Gettier holds a different opinion that justified opinion is not equal to knowledge, but it is necessary to knowledge. I support the Plato’s opinion that true opinion is not equal to knowledge, and that justified opinion is not necessary to having knowledge of something. In the Meno, Plato explores the relationship between knowledge and true opinion. For instance, Plato states, “As long as he has the right opinion about that of which the other has knowledge, he will not be a worse guide than the one who knows, as he has a …show more content…
The person believes that p. This belief might be more or less confident. And it might — but it need not — be manifested in the person’s speech, such as by her saying that p or by her saying that she believes that p. All that is needed, strictly speaking, is for her belief to exist. Truth. The person’s belief that p needs to be true. If it is incorrect instead, then — no matter what else is good or useful about it — it is not knowledge. It would only be something else, something lesser. Admittedly, even when a belief is mistaken it can feel to the believer as if it is true. But in that circumstance the feeling would be mistaken; and so the belief would not be knowledge, no matter how much it might feel to the believer like knowledge. Justification. The person’s belief that p needs to be well supported, such as by being based upon some good evidence or reasoning, or perhaps some other kind of rational justification. Otherwise, the belief, even if it is true, may as well be a lucky guess. It would be correct without being knowledge. It would only be something else, something