Epistemology and Knowledge Acquisition PDF

3. EPISTEMOLOGY Deals with nature, sources, limitations, and validity of knowledge Explains 1. How you know what you claim to know 2. How you can find out what you wish to know 3. How you can differentiate truth from falsehood. Addresses the problems of reliability, extent, kinds o...

3. EPISTEMOLOGY Deals with nature, sources, limitations, and validity of knowledge Explains 1. How you know what you claim to know 2. How you can find out what you wish to know 3. How you can differentiate truth from falsehood. Addresses the problems of reliability, extent, kinds of knowledge. ACQUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE IN THREE WAYS  1. Induction – the source of knowledge is something that could be seen, heard or touched. Knowledge is steamed through senses. Empiricists – philosophers who believed that knowledge is acquired through induction. John Locke - for empiricists knowledge is based on what our sight, hearing, smell and other senses tell us, is really out there, not what people make up in their heads. DOCTRINE OF TABULA RASA (BLANK SLATE) - what will happen if..? - we will confine the baby within a room with a non talking robot for 7 years? - the robot is responsible for all the needs of the baby. - Do you think the child can acquire knowledge from the robot? - how about child’s ability to speak?  CONCEPT TRUTH/ SENSES KNOWLED GE  2. Deduction – knowledge is based on logic, the laws and methods that reasons develops. The best example of real knowledge, the reactionist holds is mathematics, a realm of knowledge that is obtained entirely by reason that we use to understand the universe. Rationalist – the advocates of deduction (like Rene Descartes)  CONCEPT TRUTH/ IDEA/ KNOWLED REASON GE use is the real test of truth and meaning. In other words, the meaning and truth of an idea are tested by its practical consequences. Pragmatist – has the idea that the usefulness, workability, and practicality of ideas, policies, and proposals are the criteria of their merit. It stresses the priority of action over doctrine, of experience over fixed principles, and it holds that ideas borrow their meanings from their consequences and their truths from their verification. Thus, ideas are essentially instruments and plans of action.  CONCEPT USEFULNES TRUTH/ S/ KNOWLED WORKABILI GE TY 4. LOGIC From the Greek word logike and was coined by Zeno, the Stoic (c.340-265BC) It means a treatise on matters pertaining to the human thought. Logic does not provide knowledge about the world BUT a tool to the TRUTH or VALIDITY of our arguments. Logical reasoning makes certainty that the conclusions are true, and this provides us with accepted scientific proofs of universally valid propositions or statements. 5. AESTHETI CS Is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and appreciation of art, beauty and good taste. It has also been defined as "critical reflection on art, culture and nature". The word "aesthetics" derives from the Greek "aisthetikos", meaning "of sense perception". IMPORTANCE OF AESTHETICS 1. It vitalizes our knowledge – it makes our knowledge of the world alive and useful. 2. It helps us to live more deeply and richly – helps us to rise from purely physical existence into the realm of intellect and the spirit. (especially when we evaluate a piece of art) 3. It brings us touch with our culture – as Hans-Georg Gadamer argues, that our taste and judgements regarding beauty, work in connection with one’s own personal experience and culture. NEXT TOPIC Expanding Our Philosophical Frames: Western and Non-Western Tradition