Epistemology: JTB and Foundationalism

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Questions and Answers

What does Justified True Belief (JTB) require for a belief to qualify as knowledge?

The belief must be true, justified, and accepted by society.

The belief must be true, justified, and based on empirical evidence.

The belief must be justified, true, and infallible.

The belief must be justified, true, and held by an individual. (correct)

What is an example of a scenario that illustrates a challenge to JTB?

A stopped clock showing the correct time. (correct)

Someone recalling a vivid dream as reality.

A person winning a lottery after studying statistics.

A shipowner believing their ship is seaworthy due to anecdotal evidence.

What distinguishes strong foundationalism from weak foundationalism?

Strong foundationalism asserts basic beliefs are infallible. (correct)

Strong foundationalism believes basic beliefs need further justification.

Weak foundationalism claims basic beliefs are unreliable.

Weak foundationalism supports the idea of self-justifying beliefs.

According to Clifford's Ethics of Belief, what is the moral duty regarding beliefs?

To ensure beliefs are well-founded and based on evidence. Signup and view all the answers

What type of skepticism suggests that we may be living in a scenario like the Matrix?

Radical skepticism. Signup and view all the answers

What implication does contextualism suggest about knowledge claims?

Epistemic standards vary depending on the context. Signup and view all the answers

What is likely the problem with beliefs that are justified and true yet do not amount to knowledge as illustrated by Gettier cases?

They can be significantly influenced by external factors. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes knowledge from mere true belief in practical terms?

Knowledge provides a more stable foundation for further beliefs and actions. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'phenomenal consciousness' refer to?

The 'what it is like' aspect of qualitative experiences. Signup and view all the answers

What does the 'Mary Argument' illustrate about consciousness?

There are aspects of experience that cannot be captured by physical knowledge. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of experience is defined as perceptions that accurately reflect reality?

Veridical experiences Signup and view all the answers

What does 'indirect realism' suggest about perception?

Perception relies on intermediaries or mental representations. Signup and view all the answers

The argument from illusions and hallucinations supports which philosophical view?

Indirect realism Signup and view all the answers

What does disjunctivism claim about veridical and non-veridical experiences?

They are fundamentally different from each other. Signup and view all the answers

What does the transparency view challenge regarding direct realism?

It proposes that our awareness is directed outwardly at external objects. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of physicalism do reductionist theories advocate for?

Physical states fully account for consciousness. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Justified True Belief (JTB)

Definition: A traditional view of knowledge that states knowledge requires a belief that is true and justified.
Example: A clock showing the correct time twice a day. A person looking at it at that time believes it's the correct time but isn’t.

Gettier Cases

Purpose: Challenge the JTB theory by providing examples of situations where beliefs are justified and true but do not constitute knowledge.
Impact: Demonstrate that justified true beliefs could still fail to amount to knowledge due to luck or external factors.

Foundationalism

Basic Beliefs: Self-justifying beliefs that don't require further justification.
Non-Basic Beliefs: Require a chain of justification, building upon basic beliefs.
Strong Foundationalism: Asserts that basic beliefs are infallible.
Weak Foundationalism: Accepts that basic beliefs may not always be infallible, but are still more reliable than derived beliefs.

The Value of Knowledge and Justification

Instrumental Value: True beliefs are valuable for practical applications.
Non-Instrumental Value: Knowledge is considered more stable and reliable, providing a foundation for further beliefs and actions.
Clifford's Ethics of Belief: Emphasizes the moral duty to ensure beliefs are well-founded.

Skepticism

Skeptical Hypotheses: Scenarios like The Matrix or an evil demon deceiving us about the world.
Implications: We might not be able to know much about the world due to the possibility of deception.

Contextualism

Context-Dependence: Suggests that knowledge claims depend on the context, with epistemic standards varying by situation.
Everyday Scenarios: Potentially dissolves skeptical arguments by allowing lower standards in routine contexts.

Phenomenal Consciousness

Subjective Experience: The "what it is like" aspect of consciousness, focusing on qualitative experiences.
Hard Problem: Explaining how subjective experiences arise from physical processes.

Physicalism and Dualism

Physicalism: Asserts consciousness can be fully explained by physical states.
Reductionist Theories: Suggest consciousness can be reduced to physical properties.
Non-reductionist Theories: Claim that physical explanations are insufficient to understand consciousness.
Dualism: Proposes that consciousness involves separate, non-physical properties.

Mary Argument

Scenario: A scientist, Mary, who knows everything physical about color but has never experienced it.
Implication: Upon seeing color, she gains new knowledge, suggesting there are non-physical aspects to experience.

Perception

Veridical Experiences: Accurate perceptions that reflect reality.
Illusory Experiences: Misleading perceptions that distort reality.
Hallucinatory Experiences: Perceptions without external stimuli.

Direct vs. Indirect Realism

Direct Realism: Perception connects us directly to objects without mental intermediaries.
Indirect Realism: Perception is mediated by mental representations or intermediaries.

Argument from Illusions and Hallucinations

Premise: Illusions and hallucinations are often indistinguishable from veridical perceptions.
Implication: Supports indirect realism, questioning whether perception always directly links us to the external world.

Disjunctivism

Contrarian View: Argues that veridical and non-veridical experiences are fundamentally different, challenging indirect realism.

Transparency of Experience

Concept: Our awareness in perceptual experience is directed outwardly, focusing on external objects.
Challenge to Direct Realism: Suggests perception might inherently involve a direct connection with the world, supporting the direct realist perspective.

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Description

Explore the concepts of Justified True Belief (JTB) and Foundationalism in epistemology. Learn how Gettier cases challenge the traditional view of knowledge and the distinctions between basic and non-basic beliefs. Enhance your understanding of how beliefs can be justified yet still fail to be knowledge.