Basics of Epistemology Flashcards
What is Epistemology?
the field in philosophy that deals with the nature of truth and knowledge.
“what can we know?”, “how can we know things?”, “what is truth and how can it be established?”
This field is central to all philosophy because the possibility of knowledge or truth is a prerequisite for any and all discussion of learning.
3 Categories of Knowledge
Acquaintance Knowledge
Ability Knowledge
Propositional Knowledge
Acquaintance Knowledge
knowledge of a person place or thing that indicates a familiarity with them (typically through experience)
Ability Knowledge
knowledge of how to perform certain tasks or do things.
Propositional Knowledge
Knowledge relating to concepts and their relationships with each other
A Proposition is a declarative statement that makes a claim of truth. They can be used in relation to relatively small or insignificant things (it is Friday) or in relation to important things (God exists).
is the main type of knowledge that we make use of and discuss in Philosophy as philosophy is concerned with seeking and coming to understand truth.
The Interconnectedness of Knowledge
To know anything, we need to understand the concepts related to what we encounter
I can’t understand that fire is hot if I don’t know what fire or heat is.
Our knowledge forms a connected web of ideas and facts. If we find out something we believed is false, it can challenge other beliefs, causing a ripple effect in our understanding.
if we discovered Mars is made of chocolate, astronomers and other scientists would have to rethink many previously accepted truths.
Philosophical Doubt
Philosophical Doubt goes beyond normal doubt. It questions even our most basic assumptions.
Relating to our previous examples- does my door (or house) even exist when I don’t observe it or is the person I am talking to even conscious?
This allows us to challenge much bigger assumptions and to ask far reaching and hugely important questions.
