🤓Intro to Epistemology Unit 4 – Knowledge Analysis: Tripartite & Gettier

Key Concepts

• Epistemology studies the nature, sources, and limits of knowledge
• Knowledge is a justified true belief (JTB) according to the tripartite theory
• Gettier problems challenge the sufficiency of JTB for knowledge
• Epistemic luck occurs when a belief is true by chance rather than justification
• Reliabilism holds that a belief is justified if it is produced by a reliable process
• Causal theories argue that knowledge requires a causal connection between belief and fact
• Virtue epistemology emphasizes the role of intellectual virtues in acquiring knowledge

Historical Context

• Epistemology has been a central concern in Western philosophy since ancient Greece
• Plato's Theaetetus is an early exploration of the nature of knowledge
• Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy (1641) sought to establish a foundation for knowledge
• Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1689) developed an empiricist theory of knowledge
• Kant's Critique of Pure Reason (1781) examined the limits of reason and the conditions for knowledge
• 20th-century developments include logical positivism, ordinary language philosophy, and naturalized epistemology

The Tripartite Theory of Knowledge

• The tripartite theory defines knowledge as justified true belief (JTB)
• A belief is an attitude or mental state of accepting a proposition as true
• Truth is a necessary condition for knowledge; false beliefs cannot constitute knowledge
• Justification is the reason or evidence that supports the belief
  • Justification must be sufficient to warrant the belief
  • Justification must be internally accessible to the knower
• The JTB theory was widely accepted until challenged by Gettier problems in 1963

Gettier Problems

• Edmund Gettier (1963) presented counterexamples to the JTB theory
• In Gettier cases, a belief is true and justified but does not seem to count as knowledge
• Example: Smith believes Jones will get the job and has 10 coins in his pocket
  • Smith's belief is justified based on strong evidence
  • Unknown to Smith, he himself will get the job and coincidentally has 10 coins in his pocket
  • Smith's belief is true and justified but only by luck, not knowledge
• Gettier problems show that JTB is not sufficient for knowledge
• Responses to Gettier include adding a fourth condition or denying that Gettier cases are possible

Criticisms and Debates

• The Gettier problem has generated extensive debate in epistemology
• Some argue that Gettier cases rely on questionable intuitions about knowledge
• Others defend the JTB theory by denying that Gettier cases are genuine counterexamples
• Infallibilism holds that knowledge requires absolute certainty and immunity from error
  • Infallibilism avoids Gettier problems but sets a very high standard for knowledge
• Fallibilism allows for knowledge even in the face of possible error
  • Fallibilism is more plausible but must contend with Gettier-style challenges
• The lottery problem raises questions about the consistency of our knowledge attributions

Alternative Theories

• Reliabilism defines justification in terms of reliable belief-forming processes
  • A belief is justified if it is produced by a process that reliably leads to true beliefs
  • Reliabilism avoids Gettier problems by requiring a tight connection between belief and truth
• Causal theories require a causal connection between the fact that makes a belief true and the belief itself
  • Knowledge is "caused by the truth" rather than merely coinciding with it
• Virtue epistemology shifts the focus from beliefs to the intellectual character of the knower
  • Intellectual virtues like open-mindedness and diligence are key to acquiring knowledge
• Contextualism holds that the standards for knowledge vary by context
  • In some contexts (e.g., everyday life), the standards for knowledge are relatively low
  • In other contexts (e.g., philosophical skepticism), the standards are much higher

Real-World Applications

• Epistemology has important implications for many areas of life
• In science, epistemology informs our understanding of the scientific method and the reliability of scientific knowledge
• In law, epistemological issues arise in assessing witness testimony and the burden of proof
• In politics, epistemology is relevant to questions of media literacy and the spread of misinformation
• In education, epistemology shapes our views on the nature and goals of learning
• Epistemological debates also have practical consequences for issues like skepticism and relativism

Key Thinkers and Readings

• Plato (Theaetetus)
• René Descartes (Meditations on First Philosophy)
• John Locke (An Essay Concerning Human Understanding)
• Immanuel Kant (Critique of Pure Reason)
• Edmund Gettier ("Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?")
• Alvin Goldman (Epistemology and Cognition)
• Linda Zagzebski (Virtues of the Mind)
• Duncan Pritchard (Epistemic Luck)