introphil_lecture_slides_IntroPhil2-week2-slides

The field of philosophy which explores the nature of knowledge, and related questions (such as the nature of truth, the nature of evidence, the nature of rationality etc.,) is known as epistemology.

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Structure of the Lecture

Part One: The Basic Constituents of Knowledge

Part Two: The Gettier Problem

Part Three: Do We Have any Knowledge?

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Part One:

The Basic Constituents of

Knowledge

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Knowledge in the Information Age

•More than ever, information is widely available to us (most of us, anyway).

•But lots of information by itself is little use unless one can sift the good information from the bad.

•That’s why knowledge is so important.

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‘Knowledge’ in Everyday Usage

•David knows that the kettle has boiled.

•Suilin knows where the secret compartment is.

•Alasdair knows why the house burned down.

•Matthew knows how to fly an aeroplane.

•Michela knows which route to take.

•Allan knows so-and-so from that TV show.

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Propositional Knowledge

We are going to focus on a particular kind of knowledge, called propositional knowledge. This is knowledge of a proposition (i.e., knowledge-that something is the case).

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Propositional versus Ability Knowledge

Knowledge-that: Knowledge-how:

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