Philosophy 165: Epistemology
Dr. Ring
Fall 2009
SET 1 TRUE/FALSE
Tim Chow 15 SeptSeptember 2009
Professor Ring
True/False Set #1
Set #1
1.) Plato claimed that all knowledge was a priori, knowledge is independent of sense experience.
2.) The Externalist view of knowledge claims that the three conditions of the Justified True Belief theory only have to be met, but not known that they are met.
3.) The Quartet Solutions were offered to support the Gettier-counterexamples to the JTB theory.
4.) In Descartes’ First Meditation, he provides that knowledge is obtained directly from the senses.
5.) Descartes states that one cannot even be certain that one appears to be “seeing” an object.
Tim Chow
15 September 2009
Professor Ring
True/False Set #1 (Answers)
Set #1
1.) Plato claimed that all knowledge was a priori, knowledge is independent of sense experience.
Answer: True. Plato’s view is that any information obtained through the senses is merely appearance and is not sufficient as knowledge. Through deductive reasoning (1+1=2), outside of human experience, knowledge could be obtained (Pojman 18).
2.) The Externalist view of knowledge claims that the three conditions of the Justified True Belief theory only have to be met, but not known that they are met.
Answer: True. The Internalist would hold the view that the three conditions of the JTB theory have to met, as well as known that they are met. For example: A student who drove her own car to class is currently sitting in the classroom. Does she know her car is still parked outside? The Externalist would say yes, she is justified in believing her car is still in the parking lot, she obviously believes it, and it so happens to still be true. The Internalist would claim that this does not count as knowledge, as someone could steal her car during class (Class discussions 09/03/09).
3.) The Quartet Solutions were offered to support the Gettier-counterexamples to the JTB theory.
Answer: False. The Quartet Solutions were offered to solve the problems to arise with Gettier-type counterexamples. These are the no false belief condition, the causation condition, the conclusive reason condition, and the defeasibility condition (Pojman 83).
4.) In Descartes’ First Meditation, he provides that knowledge is obtained directly from the senses.
Answer: False. Knowledge cannot have any possibly for doubts, the sense does cannot doubt, and therefore cannot be relied on with absolute certainty (Descartes, First Meditation, paragraph 5).
5.) Descartes states that one cannot even be certain that one appears to be “seeing” an object.
Answer: False. One can be aware that it appears to them that they are having a sensory experience, it is self-evident as a form of thinking (Descartes, First Meditation, paragraph 6).
Alex Anderson
Philosophy 165
Dr. Ring
Set one questions
1)Plato was the first philosopher to come up with the idea of tripartite analysis
2)Gettier’s counter-example to JTB theory was largely unaccepted and gained very little recognition from fellow philosophers
3) Something is determined to be a prioriif it is true.
4)In his first meditation, Renee Descartes argues that the senses are not always correct.
5) Descartes seeks to disprove the foundations of his own beliefs.
Alex Anderson
Philosophy 165
Dr. Ring
Set one questions, answers, and proof
1)Plato was the first philosopher to come up with the idea of tripartite analysis
True, Plato came up with the idea of tripartite analysis, which stated that, “s believes that p is true, therefore, S believes that p is justified. This idea lead on to the justified true belief, which served as a justification for knowledge for over two thousand years. (Pojman, page 81)
2)Gettier’s counter-example to JTB theory was largely unaccepted and gained very little recognition from fellow philosophers
False, Gettier’s counter-examples to the JTB theory changed epistemology forever, basicly debunking the JTB theory and was widely accepted by many philosophers (Pojman, page 82)
3) Something is determined to be a prioriif it is true.
False, a priori knowledge is knowledge that can only be justified by logic and thought, rather than knowledge that is gathered strictly through the senses (pojman, page 19)
4)In his first meditation, Renee Descartes argues that the senses are not always correct.
True. Descartes establishes three arguments, which he uses to defeat the principle that the senses are always correct. The argument from dreaming, the argument from illusion and the evil genius successfully debunk the idea that the senses are infallible. (Descartes first meditation, paragraph 11)
5) Descartes seeks to disprove the foundations of his own beliefs.
True. Rather than disprove all of his beliefs (which would be impossible) Descartes seeks to disprove the foundations, upon which the rest of his beliefs lie (Descartes first meditation, paragraph 2)
Andrew Ngo
Philosophy 165: Epistemology
Dr. David Ring
Fall 2009
SET 1 TRUE/FALSE
1. The “T” in JTB stands for total.
2. Having knowledge of one, means you know the truth
3. Descartes says doubt in a belief is reason to reject the belief as knowledge.
4. Descartes says the senses can not always be trusted.
5. Plato's tripartite analysis of knowledge, if A believes that B, but B is not true, this is
still considered knowledge.
Andrew Ngo
Philosophy 165: Epistemology
David Ring
fall 2009
1 TRUE/FALSE
1. The “T” in JTB stands for total.
False, The T stands for “true”
2.Having knowledge of one, means you know the truth
False but knowledge you can be uncertain
3. Descartes says doubt in a belief is reason to reject the belief as knowledge.
True you have to be 100% sure for it to be knowledge
4. Descartes says the senses can not always be trusted.
True, In your dream you can be in pain, but not in reality
5. Plato's tripartite analysis of knowledge, if A believes that B, but B is not true, this is still considered knowledge.
False Plato says , A knows that B "if and only if" all three parts of the tripartite
analysis are present including that B is true.
Donovan Henrikson
Epistemology
Set 1
1) In Gettier's Smith/Jones example the relaiabe boss tells Jones that Smith will get the promothion because he (Smith) has ten coins in his pocket.
2) Concerning Internalist in the JTB theroy, you dont have to know that all of the JTB has been met.
3) On Descartes first medation during the dream argument he was sitting out side by a tree.
4) Knoledge has to be non-accidental
5) Criticism on the Smith/Jones example states that the argument is both too strong/weak.
Donovan Henrikson
Epistemology
Set 1
1) In Gettier's Smith/Jones example the relaiabe boss tells Jones that Smith will get the promothion because he (Smith) has ten coins in his pocket.
False (handout) - The boss tells Smith that Jones will get the prmothion and Smith later counts the coins in Jones pocket.
2) Concerning Internalist in the JTB theroy, you dont have to know that all of the JTB has been met.
False ( lecture ) - Internalist have to have JTB and the condtitions have to be met.
3) On Descartes first medation during the dream argument he was sitting out side by a tree.
False (1st medation) - Descartes was sitting inside by a fire.
4) Knoledge has to be non-accidental
True (Pojam)
5) Criticism on the Smith/Jones example states that the argument is both too strong/weak.
True (Pojam)
Stephanie Cummings
Philosophy 165: Epistemology
Set 1
1.- A true preposition is false by virtue of its legitimate membership in the system whose individual parts are related to each other by logical necessity.
2.- A belief is true if it asserts a proposition that corresponds to facts.
3.- We can conduce that knowledge is a type of true belief.
4.-The senses are always accurate in Descartes opinion.
5.- If a new belief is doubtful then the new belief can never be certain.
Stephanie Cummings
Philosophy 165: Epistemology
Set 1 : Answers
1.- A true preposition is false by virtue of its legitimate membership in the system whose individual parts are related to each other by logical necessity.
False- the virtue is going to be true by the preposition being true as well ( pg.7, Pojman.)
2.- A belief is true if it asserts a proposition that corresponds to facts.
True- if the facts assert the preposition to be true then the belief is true (pg.4, Pojman.)
3.- We can conduce that knowledge is a type of true belief.
False- It is more than just believing truly ( pg.14, Pojman.)
4.-The senses are always accurate in Descartes opinion.
False- Descartes principle say’s that the senses are not always accurate( First meditation, Quia website)
5.- If a new belief is doubtful then the new belief can never be certain.
True- If the first belief is not necessarily belief then the second one cannot be certain as well (pg.5, Pojman)
Koutarou Maruyama
Philosophy 165: Epistemology
Set 1
True/False: True knowledge is unattainable, as everything can be an illusion.
Answer: False. As Des Cartes said, "Cogeto ergo sum." Or in other words, "I exist therefore I am." We know we exist, as if we didn't we would not be able to think, and we know we think since we are thinking right now. LINK:
True/False: Any belief meeting the JTB rules is knowledge.
Answer: False. As shown by Gettier, it may be true, however, the justification of the belief can rest on or be inferred from some proposition which is false, and therefore is not knowledge, although the belief is true. For example, a lucky guess. (Pojman 83)
True/False: Fred Dretske believed an additional condition was required to the JTB theory
Answer: True. Dretske believed that p can be known if p has a reason that if p were not the case, s would not have that reason. In other words, if p were not true, there would be no r. (Pojman 84)
True/False: Dretske's Conclusive reason is accepted by all epistemologists.
Answer: False. This condition is seen to be either too strong or too weak, as shown bhp counterexamples. Suppose you saw a hologram of something and believed it was there. If it was not there, you would not believe it was there, and if it was, you believe you are looking at that something. This meets the conditions and yet it is a false belief. (Pojman 85)
True/False: Goldman derived the JTB theory.
Anseer: False. Goldman derived the Causal theory, which stated that p must be cause b the state of affairs corresponding to p. (pojman 8)p
Ephraim Lee
Philosophy 165: Epistemology
Dr. Ring
Set #1
- The tripartite analysis is one of the ways that skeptics turn down the idea of JTB being knowledge.
- “I think therefore I am” is Descarte’s way of saying that if a person believes something with every ounce of their being, it must be true.
- The JTB theory has been proven false, with Plato as its most well-known opponent.
- The quartet solutions support Gettier and set out to prove JTB incorrect.
- Descartes’ main goal in The First Meditation is to prove skeptics wrong and prove that knowledge truly exists.
Ephraim Lee
Philosophy 165: Epistemology
Dr. Ring
Set #1
- The tripartite analysis is one of the ways that skeptics turn down the idea of JTB being knowledge.
False. “Tripartite analysis” and “JTB” are different terms for the same idea. (Pojman 81)
- “I think therefore I am” is Descarte’s way of saying that if a person believes something with every ounce of their being, it must be true.
False. It is his way of saying that he believes knowledge can exist, but it does not mean that everything someone believes is true necessarily because they believe it.
- The JTB theory has been proven false, with Plato as its most well-known opponent.
False. The JTB theory has been proven false, but the most well-known opponent is Gettier. Plato was the first to suggest JTB. (82)
- The quartet solutions support Gettier and set out to prove JTB incorrect.
False. The quartet solutions try to improve the JTB theory by adding a fourth condition something must meet to be considered knowledge. (83)
- Descartes’ main goal in The First Meditation is to prove skeptics wrong and prove that knowledge truly exists.
False. Descartes is a skeptic himself. He sets out to distinguish what true knowledge is from what people consider to be knowledge. He believes only those things that can be true without a shadow of a doubt are true knowledge.
Timbre Yardley Philosophy 165: Epistemology Dr. Ring
Set 1
- According to Rene Descartes, the only way to reject ones opinions is to believe they are false.
- Knowledge is different than true belief.
- Edmund Gettier accepts the definition of knowledge as “Justified True Belief” without exceptions.
- According to Rene Descartes, if a new belief is doubtful, then the new belief can never be certain.
- Plato believed that knowledge is attained outside of sensory experience. (a priori)
Timbre Yardley
Philosophy 165: Epistemology
Dr. Ring
Set 1 Answers
- According to Rene Descartes, the only way to reject ones opinions is to believe they are false.
False. Descartes explains that in order to reject one’s beliefs, one simply needs to stop believing them. This theory has come to be known as “Descartes method of doubt. (Descartes’ First Meditation).
- Knowledge is different than true belief.
True. Knowledge is different in true belief in that it is “justified” (“meeting acceptable epistemic standards and having positive epistemic status”) and non-accidental. (Pojman 14-15)
- Edmund Gettier accepts the definition of knowledge as “Justified True Belief” without exceptions.
False. Although Gettier knows that the three basic principles of this definition are valid, he argues that an additional principle must be followed. In order for a Justified True Belief to be knowledge, the knowledge must be acquired in a way which is “non-accidental”. (Knowledge Handout).
- According to Rene Descartes, if a new belief is doubtful, then the new belief can never be certain.
True. In Descartes’ First Meditation, he argues that doubt in a sense invalidates a belief. (Descartes’ First Meditation).
- Plato believed that knowledge is attained outside of sensory experience. (a priori)
True. As opposed to a posteriori (“knowledge which comes to us from experience through the five senss”), Plato believed that understanding gained through the senses is unreliable. (Pojman 18)
Starnes Arnold Philosophy 165
1. Fred knew that the lights were on because he could see them, and he believed that he could see them.
2. The causal condition theory is considered vague, under the conditions obscurum per obscurious.
3. Gettier’s counterexamples proved JTB to be insufficient for knowledge.
4. Fred is an externalist if he belie ves that a belief must have grounds for justification.
5. Belief is not always necessary for knowledge.
Starnes Arnold Philosophy 165
1. Fred knew that the lights were on because he could see them, and he believed that he could see them.
False. Fred perhaps could be dreaming or maybe even being hypnotized into believing. He would need better justification, and should try checking that the electricity is on, or cut his arm off in order to know whether he is dreaming or not. (82).
2. The causal condition theory is considered vague, under the conditions obscurum per obscurious.
True. The causal condition states that there must be proper causal connections between evidence and belief. Yet causes are often vague in that it is not clear why 5+6=11, or why all humans are mortals. (87)
3. Gettier’s counterexamples proved JTB to be insufficient for knowledge.
True. One can buy a ticket to a lottery and say they know they are not going to win (based on very strong probability) and end up not winning, but they did not KNOW they were going to win, although they had a justified true belief.
4. Fred is an externalist if he believes that a belief must have grounds for justification.
False. Fred is an internalist. Externalists believe a belief must come about through the right process, rather then be based on a reasonable justification.
5. Belief is not always necessary for knowledge.
False. One cannot know something and not believe it. To know is to have no doubt and to be completely certain, and therefore to20have knowledge one must believe it.
Cuong (Patrick) Nguyen
Phil. A165: Epistemology
Dr. David Ring
Question Sets: The First
1. One must believe that one believes “A” order to truly believe “A.” True or false?
2. If a plum falls off of a tree in the middle of a mystic forest where no animal nor human, ala. sentient being, is around, and it hits the ground: plump! Does the plum really make a sound if nobody hears it?
A. Yes B. No
3. Today, I believe my mother is at work, as she usually is on Fridays between 5 a.m. and 3 p.m. My sister, who is beside my mother at her workplace, also believes that my mother is at work, as she usually is on Fridays between 5 a.m. and 3 p.m. We (my sister and I) both know that my mother is at work today. True or false?
4. Isaac Newton once proposed, through his theories of motion, that “every action has an equal and opposite reaction.” Today, this theory is universally accepted as a Law (of Motion). Is this third clause in Newton’s three-part theory “knowledge” or plain “fact?”
A. Knowledge B. Fact
5. Donna is typically (read: thus far [read: at least up until this word]) an honest girl. Tiffany and Donna are best friends, and Tiffany teaches Caleb’s dance class. Well, Donna tells Caleb that Tiffany is bored of dance, needs money, and wishes that dance provided a more stable lifestyle. The following weekend, there is a dance battle, and subsequent to her first place victory, Tiffany announces to the dance community that the battle will be her last for a while. From this, Caleb arrives at the conclusion that Tiffany will permanently quit dance for a more stable occupation. Does Caleb know that Tiffany will quit dance for a more stable occupation?
A. Yes, Tiffany will permanently quit dance for a more stable occupation.
B. No, Tiffany will not quit dance for a more stable occupation.
C. No, Tiffany will not quit dance.
D. Yes, Tiffany will quit dancing, but there is insufficient information to know what exactly
she is quitting dancing for.