Epistemology: JTB and Foundationalism
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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?

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

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

    <p>Radical skepticism.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What implication does contextualism suggest about knowledge claims?

    <p>Epistemic standards vary depending on the context.</p> 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?

    <p>They can be significantly influenced by external factors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What distinguishes knowledge from mere true belief in practical terms?

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

    What does the term 'phenomenal consciousness' refer to?

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

    What does the 'Mary Argument' illustrate about consciousness?

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

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

    <p>Veridical experiences</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does 'indirect realism' suggest about perception?

    <p>Perception relies on intermediaries or mental representations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The argument from illusions and hallucinations supports which philosophical view?

    <p>Indirect realism</p> Signup and view all the answers

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

    <p>They are fundamentally different from each other.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the transparency view challenge regarding direct realism?

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

    What aspect of physicalism do reductionist theories advocate for?

    <p>Physical states fully account for consciousness.</p> 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.

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