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PHIL201 Study Guide Lesson 10

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PHIL201 Study Guide Lesson 10
Study Guide: Lesson 10
What is Epistemology? & What is Knowledge?

Lesson Overview

With this lesson, we begin a new unit on epistemology, which is the philosophical study of knowledge claims. In this first lesson on epistemology, Dew and Foreman discuss some of the basic issues raised in the study of epistemology and then discuss the nature of knowledge itself. They consider questions such as, “What do we mean when we say we know something?” “What exactly is knowledge?

Tasks

View and take notes of the presentation, “What is Knowledge?”
Describe the 3 different ways we use the term know.
1. Knowledge by acquaintance
2. Knowledge as competency (skills)
3. Propositional knowledge
(pg. 20)

Explain the traditional definition of knowledge from Plato.

Plato's understanding of knowledge is justified true belief. After rejecting 2 accounts of knowledge (knowledge as perception & knowledge as true belief) , defined as KNOWLEDGE IS SOMETHING SIMILAR TO JUSTIFIED TRUE BELIEF. (PG. 20)

Know what each aspect of the traditional definition means.
1. Belief (pg. 22)
2. Justification (pg. 22-24)
3. Truth (pg. 24)

Read Chapters One, “What is Epistemology?” and Two, “What is Knowledge?” of How Do we Know?” As you do, make sure you understand the following points and questions:

What are the kinds of questions arise in the study of epistemology?
1. What does it mean to say that we know something?
2. How do we come to know various things?
3. What is truth and how do we find it?
4. What does it mean to have epistemic justification, and is this necessary?
5. What are epistemological virtues, and are they help for us?
6. How reliable are out perceptions?
7. Can we have certainty. (pg. 10)

Know the kinds of questions that preoccupy epistemologists.
Pg. 10

Know the basic reasons why the study of epistemology is important.
1. It is unnatural and unfruitful to avoid epistemological questions. Cuts off natural and needed intellectual growth. It's natural. Some jobs require
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