Ryan Heckart
April 19, 2002
Theories of Knowledge

Mon. April 22, Study Guide
Wed April 24, Test begins
Tues April 30, 5 P.M. Test Ends

Dretske: The burden of proof is on the skeptic to give us reasons to doubt common sense belief.
* Common sense is innocent until proven guilty.

~G.E. Moore: Common sense is justified unless were given specific reasons to doubt it on specific occasions.
+
Dretske: Common sense is neither
*Common sense what alternatives are relevant or possible.
* Culturally dependent.
* Changes over time.
* Might vary form person to person.

~"Internalist" Criteria for Justification (what seems to be true to "most people") is too relativistic to be trustworthy

~When asking what "most people" think is obviously true should everyone count equally?

~If a lot of people belive something does that make it more likely to be true?-is it a good reason, Justification?

~Is the force of the widespread agreement merely psychological or social, or is it rational? (analogous to an experiment)

*EXAMPLE*
Every swan I've seen so far is white
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.....All swans are white

=is the answer Induction,inductive,argument
====answer is induction (at most very probable never 100% certain.

*EXAMPLE 2*
All men are mortal, Socrates is a man
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Socrates is mortal
=is the answer Induction, inductive,argument
====answer is deductive (conclusion follows 100% from premises.)

































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