Reading Epistemology Selected Texts with Interactive Commentary

by Bernecker, Sven

• ISBN13: 9781405127646
• ISBN10: 1405127643
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-01-30
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

Designed for readers who have had little or no exposure to contemporary theory of knowledge, Reading Epistemology brings together twelve important and influential writings on the subject. Two contrasting views are presented on each of six core topics: the definition of knowledge, the relation between justification and truth, epistemic duties and virtues, testimonial knowledge, foundationalism versus coherentism, and scepticism and contextualism. Among the authors are Nozick, Ernest Sosa, Alvin Goldman, BonJour, Dretske, and Burge. Each chapter contains an introduction to the topic, introductions to the authors, extensive commentaries on the texts, questions for debate and an annotated bibliography. The introductions and commentaries outline the philosophical train of thought, provide background information, and locate particular positions and arguments within the field. The interactive nature of the commentaries encourages readers to engage with the texts and to think for themselves.

Author Biography

Sven Bernecker is Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Manchester and Privatdozent for Philosophy at the University of Munich. He has written on epistemology, metaphysics and philosophy of mind and is co-editor with Fred Dretske of Knowledge: Readings in Contemporary Epistemology (2000).

Table of Contents

Preface	viii
Sources and Acknowledgements	ix
Introduction	1	(3)
Defining Knowledge	4	(23)
Introduction to the Problem	4	(3)
Introduction to Pollock	7	(4)
'The Gettier Problem'	8	(3)
John L. Pollock
Commentary on Pollock	11	(3)
Introduction to Nozick	14	(7)
'Conditions for Knowledge'	15	(6)
Robert Nozick
Commentary on Nozick	21	(6)
Justification and Truth	27	(30)
Introduction to the Problem	27	(3)
Introduction to Goldman	30	(11)
'What is Justified Belief?'	31	(10)
Alvin I. Goldman
Commentary on Goldman	41	(3)
Introduction to Foley	44	(9)
'What's Wrong with Reliabilism?'	44	(9)
Richard Foley
Commentary on Foley	53	(4)
Duties and Virtues	57	(36)
Introduction to the Problem	57	(3)
Introduction to Steup	60	(15)
'A Defense of Internalism'	60	(15)
Matthias Steup
Commentary on Steup	75	(5)
Introduction to Sosa	80	(9)
'Reliabilism and Intellectual Virtue'	80	(9)
Ernest Sosa
Commentary on Sosa	89	(4)
Knowledge by Hearsay	93	(29)
Introduction to the Problem	93	(2)
Introduction to Fricker	95	(12)
'Against Gullibility'	95	(12)
Elizabeth Fricker
Commentary on Fricker	107	(2)
Introduction to Burge	109	(10)
'Content Preservation'	110	(9)
Tyler Burge
Commentary on Burge	119	(3)
Foundations or Coherence?	122	(34)
Introduction to the Problem	122	(2)
Introduction to Alston	124	(11)
'Two Types of Foundationalism'	125	(10)
William P. Alston
Commentary on Alston	135	(4)
Introduction to Bonjour	139	(11)
'The Coherence Theory of Empirical Knowledge'	139	(11)
Laurence Bonjour
Commentary on Bonjour	150	(6)
Scepticism in Context	156	(30)
Introduction to the Problem	156	(3)
Introduction to Dretske	159	(10)
'The Pragmatic Dimension of Knowledge'	159	(10)
Fred Dretske
Commentary on Dretske	169	(4)
Introduction to Williams	173	(9)
'Realism and Scepticism'	174	(8)
Michael Williams
Commentary on Williams	182	(4)
Essay/Examination Questions	186	(2)
Further Reading	188	(6)
Index	194