Ethics of belief
Describe the two shipowner cases. How are they the same and how are they different?
Shipowner 1- doubts whether ship is seaworthy, convinces himself it is. Ship sinks
Shipowner 2- Same thing, except ship makes it
What is the difference between necessary and sufficient conditions?
necessary- a requirement
sufficient- a guarantee
Describe the "method of doubt" simply
Try to doubt each belief
If you can doubt it at all, it isn't knowledge
If it cannot be doubted, you know it with certainty
What is the "target" of stage 2's doubts?
-General beliefs about existence and nature of material world
-the belief that I have a material body ("I have hands")
What is external world skepticism
We can know little to nothing about the external world outside our minds
What is a socially significant belief
a belief that can affect the welfare of someone other than the believer
Is belief necessary for knowledge? Why/why not?
Is belief sufficient for knowledge? Why/why not?
Necessary but not sufficient
Why? Must believe something to say you know it BUT a belief could still be false and, thus, not qualify as knowledge
What are sensory beliefs? Give examples
beliefs based entirely on sense experience (visual, auditory, tactile, experience)
e.g) There is an owl, I'm in a classroom
What is the Evil Demon Hypothesis?
It is possible that I am being systematically decieved by an all-powerful evil demon
What is the Brain-in-a-vat hypothesis
I am a brain in a vat being fed vivid experiences by a mad scientist's supercomputer
What is Clifford's rule
It is always wrong anywhere, for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence
Is truth necessary for knowledge? Why/why not?
Is truth sufficient for knowledge? Why/why not?
Necessary but not sufficient
Why? Something must be true for you to haven known it BUT someone could accidentally/luckily have a true belief
Describe the role of the Dream Hypothesis
"I could be asleep having a very vivid dream at the moment"
Doubts sensory beliefs (e.g., perception of being in a classroom)
How does the Evil Demon Hypothesis doubt basic facts of existence and the material world?
How does it doubt one's material body?
How does it doubt a priori beliefs?
There may be no material world at all outside you and the demon
You may have no body, could just be a decieved soul
The demon can do anything, so it can make it appear as though 2 + 2 =4 when that is not the case
What is the closure principle? How does it relate to the argument for external world skepticism?
If you know that p entails q, and you know that p, you also know q
defends the following premise:
If I know I have hands, I know I'm not a BIV
What is Clifford's diagnosis of the two shipowner cases
Both the shipowners' beliefs were equally morally bad and irresponsible
Explain the JTB Theory of knowledge
S knows that p if and only if
-S believes that p
-S's belief that p is true
-S's belief that p is justified
Which beliefs "survive" the Dream Hypothesis doubts
- Very general beliefs about existence and nature of material world (colors, shapes)
-Belief that I have a material body
-A priori beliefs
Describe The Cogito argument
C1) I am thinking now
C2) If I'm thinking now, then I exist now
C3) Therefore, I exist now
Essentially: If I'm thinking at all (doubting, understanding, being deceived, believing, etc.) then there must be a "me" for these things to be done to
What is Moore's proof of the external world
MP1) I have two hands
MP2) If I have two hands, then there is an external world
MP3) Therefore, there is an external world
What is Clifford's defense of CR2) every belief is socially significant
-Every belief affects our belief-forming habits, which affect other beliefs and may eventually turn into overt action
-Your beliefs and ways of thinking influence those around you, even in miniscule ways
What is Plato's terminology for "justification"? Explain the two analogies he uses and why they are relevant
A "tie down by an account of the reason why"
1.) The Road to Larissa
-We choose a guide who knows the way over a guide who has a mere true belief
-We prize knowlegde more than true belief
2.) The Statues of Daedalus
-Explain WHY we prize knowledge more than true belief
-If you can "tie your statue down" it is much more valuable! If you don't tie it down, it may not remain with you
What are a priori beliefs? Give examples
Beliefs that arent based on sense experience
-defintional truths (all bachelors are unmarried)
-math
-philosophy/logic
What is the defense of C1) I am thinking now
Incorrigibility: A belief that p is incorrigible for S when, necessarily, if S believes that p, then p is true
Is it possible to think "i am thinking" is true and simultaneously for the statement to be false?
By thinking at all (thinking the premise is true), you are thereby necessarily making it true
What is Moore's Reply?
Which premise of skepticism does it reject and how?
Arg. for External world skepticism is unsound because ES2 (Moore doesn't know he's not a BIV) is false!
MR1) If I know I have hands, then I know I’m not a BIV.
MR2) I know I have hands.
MR3) Therefore, I know I’m not a BIV.