Epistemology and Plato's Philosophy

The process of remembering knowledge that the soul possessed before birth.

A philosophical method that questions the certainty of knowledge.

The idea that knowledge is fundamentally impossible due to the fallibility of our senses.

A state of absolute doubt, questioning every belief and perception.

A philosophical approach that emphasizes the separation of mind and body.

The philosophical concept that claims ideas are innate, existing independently of the physical world.

The knowledge of the Forms - transcendent, perfect, and eternal concepts.

A city governed by philosophers who have attained knowledge of the Forms, ensuring justice and harmony.

The idea that our reality might be a dream, with no way to prove otherwise. We cannot be certain about the nature of our existence.

A hypothetical evil entity that deceives us, making us believe in a false reality.

The famous phrase "I think, therefore I am" which asserts that our existence is proven by the fact that we are capable of thought.

The belief that knowledge is founded on reason and not solely on sensory experience.

A direct experience of the world through our senses, forming the basis of all knowledge according to Hume.

The ability to think about and reason about objects even when they are not physically present.

The idea that knowledge is gained through experience and sensory perception.

Trust that arises from our inherent ability to understand others' minds, like recognizing someone can answer our knowledge needs.

A situation where one person depends on another for knowledge, creating an obligation for the knowledgeable person to share.

The idea that knowing someone's epistemic perspective is vital for understanding a testimony and its value.

Testimony gained through coercion or manipulation has no true value. The act of giving and receiving testimony requires both parties' free will.

A situation when someone's testimony is ignored or disregarded, resulting in a denial of their knowledge.

A specific type of epistemic injustice where a person's testimonial claims are unfairly doubted or dismissed based on their identity or group.

A type of epistemic injustice focused on a person's inability to make sense of their experience due to a lack of shared understanding and knowledge.

The idea that knowledge is not merely an abstract concept but a vital aspect of social justice. The denial of someone's knowledge or the inability to make sense is a form of harm.

A lack of collective understanding and concepts to interpret the world, leading to the exclusion of certain experiences from shared knowledge.

When an individual's attempt to explain an experience is misunderstood due to a pre-existing inequality in shared understanding.

The process of actively considering our own position and biases when listening to others, especially those from different backgrounds.

Actively seeking and considering the experiences and perspectives of others.

Understanding the difficulties others face in explaining their experiences.

The knowledge gained through the testimony and experiences of others.

The act of sharing information, involving communication and trust, which creates a potential for truthfulness or untruthfulness.

Experts who possess specialized knowledge in a particular field. Their opinions and analysis are crucial for informed decision-making.

The challenge of determining which expert's opinion or knowledge to trust, especially when multiple experts offer conflicting views.

The process of evaluating experts' claims and credibility based on factors like their arguments, consensus among peers, publication record, potential biases, and past performance.

The belief that decisions should be made by those most knowledgeable in a specific field, even if it means excluding the general public from the decision-making process.

A system of governance where all citizens have the opportunity to participate in decision-making, ensuring equal representation and consideration of all perspectives.

Balancing the need for expert knowledge with the principle of democratic participation. This involves finding ways to ensure that expert input is incorporated into decision-making processes while still allowing for public input and engagement.

The issue of reconciling expert knowledge with democratic principles when experts' expertise is required to assess public policies impacting the population.

A form of ignorance rooted in dominant social structures and practices, distorting perception of reality and reinforcing existing power dynamics.

A social epistemic structure where information is unintentionally excluded, leading to a lack of awareness of different perspectives and opinions. It's relatively fragile and can be corrected.

A closed ecosystem where beliefs are reinforced through repetition and isolation, distrusting information from outside the group. It amplifies existing beliefs and makes it harder to challenge them.

Cognitive patterns that unconsciously produce blind spots, biases, and distortions in understanding race and history. This can lead to the acceptance of systemic racism as "normal" or "natural."

A socially reinforced, systematic process of selectively emphasizing or forgetting historical episodes, contributing to ignorance and blind spots about race and history. It's not an accident, but a deliberate act.

A condition where individuals hold extreme beliefs due to flawed reasoning and a lack of critical thinking skills. It can lead to the rejection of evidence and the formation of rigid worldviews.