Class Notes 9/22/08

1.1 "A Sure Way of Knowing"

Plato: 'knowledge' - had to be able to be described and communicated. CERTAINTY.
-has to be reasonable and convincing -> "Flying pig" example is NOT knowledge
"Platonic knowledge"/"knowledge by description"/"propositional knowledge"/"knowing that..." -> formal statement of convincing knowledge.
Academic Knowledge! ex: The world is round. Hitler came to power in 1933.

Platonic Knowledge must must pass 3 tests (conditions):
1. Belief -> this is necessary for knowledge, but not sufficient
2. Truth
A) Public - dog has to be friendly to ALL
B) Independent - separate from belief
C) Must be true NOW & FOREVER ("In the Moment")
3. Justified - Empiricism, Rationalism, Memory, Authority
*EMPIRICISM/experimental learning
-senses: see, smell, taste, hear, touch, feel -> Induction
ex: "I saw my watch say 7:30. The bus arrived. -> The bus arrives at 7:30."
*RATIONALISM/academic knowledge
-instructed using Apriori knowledge ("knowledge that came before")

*Deduction: Go from general theory down to specific