PHI 2010 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Empirical Evidence, Evil Demon
Document Summary
Start thinking of paper 1 topics in week 7; paper due in week 10. Metaphysics- includes the mind and nature of existence. Epistemology- study of the theory of knowledge. Knowledge (oxford definition) is facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. Reasonable= a reasonable belief is a belief that a good reason can be given (page 3) A belief is logically justifiable when it does not contradict itself. Belief= mental state whereby the mind is directed towards being about something. S knows that p iff (if and only if) i. ii. iii. p is true. Example of knowledge: jane knows that apples are red iff i. ii. iii. Jane is justified in believing that apples are red. Justified= a belief is logically justifiable when it doesn"t contradict itself. We can define concepts by giving necessary and sufficient conditions for knowing that something is the case.
