Phi 208 Final Paper
What can we know?
Joseph Ransford
PHI208: Ethics and Moral Reasoning (GTP1306D)
Michele Clearman-Warner
03/12/13
Epistemology or theory of knowledge is a branch of philosophy related to the scope and nature of knowledge. The subject focuses on examining the nature of knowledge, and how it relates to beliefs, justification, and truth. Epistemology contract with the means of production of knowledge, as well as skepticism about different knowledge claims. “Epistemology is the philosophical investigation into this question: What can we know? The question, at first, seems pretty simple: It seems pretty obvious that I know that 3+5+8, that the sun will rise tomorrow and that my chances of winning the lottery aren’t very good. I also know how to tie my shoes, boil water, and send an email.” (Mosser, 2010) The core of this questions and area of study is Skepticism, in which there have been many approaches involved in trying to disprove a particular form of this school. This paper will discuss the Epistemology school of Skepticism, the contributors whom created the school; the evolution of how the school grew out of it’s the original field of Epistemology, and a few examples of real-life applications pertaining to the school. Epistemology arisen either in defense of or in opposition to certain forms of skepticism. Skepticism is an attitude of doubt and uncertainty as expressed in everyday language and an identifiable school of thought in history ideas. It’s most general sense refers to doubt, disbelief, uncertainty, suspension of judgment, and rejection of knowledge. “We might say, for example, that skepticism is the denial of the existence of any justified true belief, but only when justification is understood as a matter of reason-giving of a particular kind.” (Almeder, 2010) It is the doctrine that true knowledge in a particular area is uncertain and argues that beliefs in something does not justify that an assertion of knowledge on the particular
Joseph Ransford
PHI208: Ethics and Moral Reasoning (GTP1306D)
Michele Clearman-Warner
03/12/13
Epistemology or theory of knowledge is a branch of philosophy related to the scope and nature of knowledge. The subject focuses on examining the nature of knowledge, and how it relates to beliefs, justification, and truth. Epistemology contract with the means of production of knowledge, as well as skepticism about different knowledge claims. “Epistemology is the philosophical investigation into this question: What can we know? The question, at first, seems pretty simple: It seems pretty obvious that I know that 3+5+8, that the sun will rise tomorrow and that my chances of winning the lottery aren’t very good. I also know how to tie my shoes, boil water, and send an email.” (Mosser, 2010) The core of this questions and area of study is Skepticism, in which there have been many approaches involved in trying to disprove a particular form of this school. This paper will discuss the Epistemology school of Skepticism, the contributors whom created the school; the evolution of how the school grew out of it’s the original field of Epistemology, and a few examples of real-life applications pertaining to the school. Epistemology arisen either in defense of or in opposition to certain forms of skepticism. Skepticism is an attitude of doubt and uncertainty as expressed in everyday language and an identifiable school of thought in history ideas. It’s most general sense refers to doubt, disbelief, uncertainty, suspension of judgment, and rejection of knowledge. “We might say, for example, that skepticism is the denial of the existence of any justified true belief, but only when justification is understood as a matter of reason-giving of a particular kind.” (Almeder, 2010) It is the doctrine that true knowledge in a particular area is uncertain and argues that beliefs in something does not justify that an assertion of knowledge on the particular
References: Mosser, K., (2010). Philosophy: A concise introduction. Bridgepoint Education, Inc. San Diego, CA. Almeder, R., (2010). Truth and Skepticism. Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group Gascoigne, N., (2002) Scepticism. Acumen, Durham GBR