Epistemology / Edition 1

by Richard Feldman

Overview

For courses in Epistemology.

Introduction to contemporary epistemology. Content is organized around “The Standard View”—the view that we do know most of the things reflective common sense tells us we know. Skepticism is discussed as only one of several objections to the view.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780133416459
Publisher:	Pearson Education
Publication date:	12/09/2002
Series:	Foundations of Philosophy Series
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

Read an Excerpt

Many of the problems of philosophy are of such broad relevance to human concerns, and so complex in their ramifications, that they are, in one form or another, perennially present. Though in the course of time they yield in part to philosophical inquiry, they may need to be rethought by each age in the light of its broader scientific knowledge and deepened ethical and religious experience. Better solutions are found by more refined and rigorous methods. Thus, one who approaches the study of philosophy in the hope of understanding the best of what it affords will look for both fundamental issues and contemporary achievements.

Written by a group of distinguished philosophers, the Foundations of Philosophy Series aims to exhibit some of the main problems in the various fields of philosophy as they stand at the present stage of philosophical history.

While certain fields are likely to be represented in most introductory courses in philosophy, college classes differ widely in emphasis, in method of instruction, and in rate of progress. Every instructor needs freedom to change his course as his own philosophical interests, the size and make-up of his classes, and the needs of his students vary from year to year. The volumes in the Foundations of Philosophy Series—each complete in itself, but complementing the others—offer a new flexibility to the instructor, who can create his own textbook by combining several volumes as he wishes, and can choose different combinations at different times. Those volumes that are not used in an introductory 'course will be found valuable, along with other texts or collections of readings, for the more specialized upper-levelcourses.

Tom L. Beauchamp, Editor
Elizabeth Beardsley and Monroe Beardsley, Founding Editors

Table of Contents

I. INTRODUCTION.

1. Epistemological Questions.

II. THE STANDARD VIEW.

2. The Traditional Analysis of Knowledge.

3. Modifying the Traditional Analysis of Knowledge.

4. Evidentialist Theories of Knowledge and Justification.

5. Nonevidentialist Theories of Knowledge and Justification.

III. CHALLENGES TO THE STANDARD VIEW.

6. Skepticism (I).

7. Skepticism (II).

8. Epistemology and Science.

9. Epistemological Relativism.

Preface

Many of the problems of philosophy are of such broad relevance to human concerns, and so complex in their ramifications, that they are, in one form or another, perennially present. Though in the course of time they yield in part to philosophical inquiry, they may need to be rethought by each age in the light of its broader scientific knowledge and deepened ethical and religious experience. Better solutions are found by more refined and rigorous methods. Thus, one who approaches the study of philosophy in the hope of understanding the best of what it affords will look for both fundamental issues and contemporary achievements.

Written by a group of distinguished philosophers, the Foundations of Philosophy Series aims to exhibit some of the main problems in the various fields of philosophy as they stand at the present stage of philosophical history.

While certain fields are likely to be represented in most introductory courses in philosophy, college classes differ widely in emphasis, in method of instruction, and in rate of progress. Every instructor needs freedom to change his course as his own philosophical interests, the size and make-up of his classes, and the needs of his students vary from year to year. The volumes in the Foundations of Philosophy Series—each complete in itself, but complementing the others—offer a new flexibility to the instructor, who can create his own textbook by combining several volumes as he wishes, and can choose different combinations at different times. Those volumes that are not used in an introductory 'course will be found valuable, along with other texts or collections of readings, for the more specialized upper-level courses.

Tom L. Beauchamp, Editor
Elizabeth Beardsley and Monroe Beardsley, Founding Editors