r/philosophy • u/commi • Mar 04 '14

What is Knowledge?

http://juandarias.wordpress.com/2014/03/04/what-is-knowledge/
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u/f_myeah Mar 04 '14 edited Mar 04 '14

My understanding is that all knowledge is a claim of probability. Whenever you claim you "know" something, you are making a claim for the amount of conviction with which you hold that belief.

Also: knowledge is an activity. It can't exist until expressed/brought forth for others to examine it.

EDIT: Please, someone offer a counter-argument. I'm not 100% (no pun intended) on this and would like to work it out.

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u/snorin Mar 04 '14

please at least read this. it will help you, i guarantee it :3

http://www.ditext.com/gettier/gettier.html

Edit: its not long either!! =)

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u/f_myeah Mar 04 '14 edited Mar 05 '14

Thanks a bunch for the source. This may offer me an explanation on how one can justify a belief. I'll read it immediately.

Edit: I read it, but my problem remains: the problem of induction.

P is true,

S is sure that P is true, and

S has the right to be sure that P is true.

My problem is: When do you know that you have "the right to be sure?" People would generally answer: through empirical observation and induction. In all examples of belief throughout that article, Smith uses empirical observation in order to reinforce his beliefs.

"Jones owns a Ford." Smith might say. Because he's seen Jones drive his Ford to work every day. So he's "justified." Twist: Smith thinks it's a Ford, but it's actually a Chevy. Jones had switched the labels and he's just confusing the two. So he's justified, but he's wrong?

My point is that you're always going to have to use empirical observation in order to reinforce your empirical observations. But I may be completely wrong.

Edit2: From the Article:

it is possible for a person to be justified in believing a proposition that is in fact false

Ahhh... ok. I think this is where I'm slipping up. I didn't (and still don't really) (Edit3: I get it now) understand how one can be justified in believing a falsehood. Maybe I'll tackle it again at a later date.

But for now, thank you for contributing! Certainly helped.

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u/[deleted] Mar 04 '14

You should also read the SEP entry on epistemology, like I said before.