Limits of Knowledge

Question 1

Scepticism vs Normal Incredul

Answer 1

Scepticism = severe doubt/doubt of existence itself
Normal Incredulity/Ordinary Doubt - everyday scepticism for example doubting when your friend’s birthday is

Question 2

Global sceptical scenarios in philosophy and popular culture

Answer 2

Descartes’ evil demon
The Matrix
The simulation hypothesis
Perfect virtual reality
Brain in a vat

Question 3

Brain in a vat

Answer 3

Sceptical Scenario

If all experience is just electrical signals interpreted by your brain, then you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference if you were a disembodied brain in a vat being fed these same electrical signals artificially.
> All your beliefs would be false and therefore not knowledge

Question 4

Descartes’ Evil Demon

Answer 4

Sceptical Scenario

Goes beyond normal incredulity (normal doubt) and doubts all methods of justification because all experience could be caused by an evil demon.
> All knowledge is impossible

Question 5

Descartes’ response to his evil demon argument

Answer 5

Cogito Argument
- Even if he is being deceived by an evil demon, he can at least know “I exist”
- Also argues he can know that God exists
- God wouldn’t allow him to be globally deceived so he can trust his perceptions and trust that the external world exists

Question 6

Russel’s response to Descartes’ Evil Demon