Knowledge and Doubt Flashcards
knowing how
knowing how to do something, having a skill or ability to do something
knowing that
propositional knowledge, knowledge that a statement or fact is true
Different types of knowledge
- propositional knowledge (knowing something is true)
- knowledge of ‘how to’
- personal experience (knowledge by acquaintance)
example of propositional knowledge
i know glasgow is in scotland
example of knowledge ‘how to’
i know how to make sweet potato chips
example of personal experience knowledge
i know a lot about glasgow
difference between true belief & knowledge
- a knowledge claim needs to be backed up with
reasons - knowledge claim is more valuable because of justification
what 3 conditions are needed to form a viewpoint on knowledge according to the tripartite theory?
statements must be:
- true
- believed
- justified
what is knowledge according to the tripartite theory?
Individually necessary = we must meet all of these conditions to have knowledge. Any knowledge claim that cannot do this, is not a knowledge claim
Jointly sufficient = These three conditions are all that is needed. If a propositional knowledge statement meets these three conditions, you can say that you have knowledge
The distinction between knowing how and knowing that
knowing that is propositional knowledge, a statement or fact which is true whereas knowing how is knowledge on how to perform a skill or ability
A priori
Truths are known to be true prior experience (or true by definition)
rationalism
claiming that some knowledge of the external world can be established by correct reasoning and without the use of sense experience
example of a priori truth
- all bachelors are unmarried males
- Dundee is south of Aberdeen
- Glasgow is within the Uk
How does Leibniz use a block of veined marble to show how we acquire knowledge
Leibniz uses the metaphor that compares the human mind to a block of veined marble. He gives the example that a block of marble might be veined in a way that you might be able to shape a statue of Hercules from it. He uses this metaphor to suggest that we have a pre-existing potential for knowledge that just needs to be uncovered. Leibniz does not believe that experience alone is enough to explain the way that we understand the world
A posteriori
knowledge justified from experience
examples of a posteriori
- some bachelors are happy men
- my sister is 5ft tall
how does locke use a blank sheet of paper to show how we acquire knowledge
Locke uses the metaphor of a blank piece of paper to represent the human mind before it acquires knowledge. Locke believes that humans are a blank slate with no innate ideas. Locke believes that we start from a position of no knowledge and gain knowledge gradually through experiences
name 3 of Descartes sceptic theories
- Dream argument
- Deceiving God argument
- Evil genius/ malicious demon
describe the deceiving god argument
- Descartes uses the deceiving god argument to cast doubt over knowledge-based on reason
- For example, god may even be deceiving him about mathematic truths
- Descartes also speculates that god is deceiving him about the existence of the entire world
- Descartes concludes that the foundations for all of his knowledge are undermined by the possibility that God might be deceiving us
describe the senses argument
Descartes’ claim that many of the beliefs he has taken to be completely reliable come
from his sense experience
his assertion that his senses have been shown to deceive him
his conclusion that it might be wise not to trust in them completely
his examples of the kinds of things our senses deceive us about — things that are very
small or very far away
describe dreaming argument
Descartes’ point that the senses initially seem to be reliable for things that are very
obvious, such as the fact that he is sitting by the fire holding a piece of paper in his hands
his belief that he sometimes thinks he is sitting by the fire when in fact he is in bed,
dreaming that he is awake
his view that, in dreams, we can have the experience of seeing things yet these things
are not there in reality
his suggestion that perhaps all his supposed experiences of the external world are,
similarly, a product of his mind
his claim that there are no definitive signs by which he can distinguish wakefulness from
sleep
his conclusion that, as he could be dreaming, he cannot trust any knowledge gained from
his sense experiences
Describe the malicious demon argument
Descartes’ conclusion that, by the end of the Method of Doubt, he can raise a doubt
about every single one of his former beliefs without exception
his tendency to keep falling back into his old beliefs
his adoption of the malicious demon as a device he can use to deceive himself that his
previous beliefs are actually false
his speculation that the external world might be a complete illusion
Describe empiricism
That all knowledge of the world ultimately depends on experience (locked blank sheet of paper)
What is scepticism?
Sceptics doubt our ability to gain knowledge concerning our ability to satisfy the justification condition for knowledge.
They argue it is impossible to be certain about anything as we can be easily deceived by simple things (day of the week) so how do we know we are not mistaken more.
