Epistemology Fundamentals

Study Notes

Epistemology

Definition: Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature, sources, and limits of knowledge.

Key Concepts:

Knowledge: justified true belief (JTB) - a belief that is both true and justified
Belief: a mental state of accepting something as true
Justification: the process of providing evidence or reasons to support a belief
Truth: the correspondence of a belief with reality

Epistemological Questions:

What is the nature of knowledge?
How do we acquire knowledge?
What are the limits of knowledge?
Can we be certain of anything?

Types of Knowledge:

A priori: knowledge that is independent of experience (e.g., mathematical truths)
A posteriori: knowledge that is derived from experience (e.g., scientific facts)
Analytic: knowledge that is true by definition (e.g., bachelor = unmarried male)
Synthetic: knowledge that is true based on experience (e.g., the sky is blue)

Epistemological Theories:

Rationalism: knowledge comes from reason and innate ideas (e.g., Plato, Descartes)
Empiricism: knowledge comes from experience and sense data (e.g., Locke, Hume)
Skepticism: doubt about the possibility of knowledge (e.g., Pyrrho, Kant)

Epistemological Problems:

The Problem of Induction: how can we justify the assumption that the future will resemble the past?
The Problem of Other Minds: how can we be certain of the existence of other minds?
The Problem of Perception: how can we be certain of the accuracy of our senses?

Description

Test your understanding of epistemology, the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature, sources, and limits of knowledge. Explore key concepts, types of knowledge, and epistemological theories and problems.