1. March, 26, 2010
EPISTEMOLOGY

2. 1 Epistemology Three approaches General study (Broad sense)
1. Classical Approach : Socrates, Plato, Aristotle
2. Modern Approach : Start from Descartes
3. Contemporary Approach .
Epistemology
Religious doctrines,
ethical statements,
mathematical studies,
etc.
Epistemological discourse
Concerning different
particular fields, such as:
Specific study
(Limited sense) 1

3. 2 Epistemology in General Main subject
The Nature and Scope of knowledge
Some of main questions
What is knowledge?
How is knowledge acquired?
What do people know?
How do we know that we know ?
What is true knowledge How can we have a true knowledge?
What is the criteria of true knowledge?
How do we know that our knowledge is true ore false ?
3 Approaches
Classical, Modern, and Contemporary 2

4. ? ? ? ? 3 Epistemology in General 3 Approaches Classical Approach
Classical, Modern, and Contemporary
Classical Approach
Some of the figures : Socrates (469 BC–399 BC ), Plato, Aristotle ?
Main questions
How do we know the reality? How can our mind come at the reality? ?
What is the criteria of true knowledge?
What is the value of knowledge? ? ?
It does not put “Reality” in question :
The Existence of Reality
is taken for granted as a foundation or basic belief
is regarded as self-evident or self-justified (badihi)
Hence, the epistemological building
in classical approach is grounded on basic belief
At least, the reality, the knower himself,
his emotion, sense, 3

5. The ground object of belief
Modern Approach
Main figure : Descartes (1596 – 1650 )
Modern approach in epistemology is begun since the Rationalism of Rene Descartes.
Cartesian rationalism is the result of his methodical skepticism
is aimed at eliminating
all belief which it is
possible to doubt, thus
leaving us with indubitable
beliefs, from which
further knowledge is derived.
Descartes held that a knowing subject
can doubt on all of his knowledge.
But how can he doubt on his doubt?
Moreover, but how can one who
doubts doubt on himself as real?
The ground object of belief
Our doubt 4

6. ? ? 5 “Cogito, ergo sum” Cogito ergo sum Modern Approach
The Cartesian Epistemological Steps
From DOUBT
to CERTAINTY
then build further KNOWLEDGE
Cogito
ergo sum
What is the criteria of indubitable knowledge?
It must be 1. CLEAR & DISTINCT 5

7. 6 Modern Approach What is the criteria of indubitable knowledge?
It must be 1. CLEAR & DISTINCT
(clarity contrasts with obscurity)
distinctness contrasts with confusion
Innate idea
Such as ideas in :
mathematics (e.g., number, line, triangle)
logic (e.g., contradiction, necessity),
metaphysics (e.g., identity, substance, causality).
even our sensory ideas, of colors, sounds, tastes, and the like,
whose content draws from the mind itself.
Including GOD,
(Since source of perfect idea in one’s imperfect mind, must not
come from the imperfect but Perfect itself, that is God.)
ideas whose
content derives
solely from the nature
of the mind itself.
GOD, is an idea
But the idea is the primary, so He is real 6

8. Contemporary Approach JUSTIFIED TRUE BELIEF (JTB)
Modern Approach
Contemporary Approach
Starts from methodical skepticism
The question:
What is indubitable knowledge?
Main belief must be clear and distinct
Start from defining knowledge
The question is
What is knowledge ?
A knowledge must have 3 epistemic attributes:
Belief
Justified
True
The Epistemological Steps of Contemporary approach
DEFINITION of KNOWLEDGE
ANALYSIS of the definition
FINDING THE 3 ATTRIBUTES, 1 2
Knowledge = (must be)
JUSTIFIED TRUE BELIEF (JTB) 3 7

9. 8 Classical Modern Contemporary Based on a preceding
indubitable basic belief
(the existence of reality)
assumed taken for granted
Contemporary
From
skeptic (methodical) to
ultimate indubitable certainty
from
analysis to
knowledge
Influenced by
Western acute Skepticism
Under
Analytic approach (analytic Philosophy)
spell
Certainty
Doubt
100%
human knowledge
can be true
(objectively grasp reality
as it is)
confident
50% - 50 %
Between
+/- 80% 8

10. That one cannot possess knowledge in some particular domain.
SKEPTICISM
Global skepticism
Local skepticism
That one cannot possess knowledge in some particular domain.
( absolute skepticism / universal skepticism) that one cannot know anything at all.
Two common Arguments
The argument
from ASLEEP
The argument
from ERROR 9

11. It is adopted from a moral thesis - .R.M.Hare
GLOBAL
Skepticism
Argument
from
ERROR
Two premises
Premise 1
Premise 2
Universalizability
It is adopted from a moral thesis - .R.M.Hare
A situation must be equally applicable to every relevant identical situation
We mistaken in many situations in which we think we have knowledge claims.
There are also situations we have knowledge claims that we don't know we are not mistaken about.
CONCLUSION
All human knowledge can be false,
we cannot know whether or not we are mistaken,
Human has no knowledge (justified true believe) 10

12. 11 GLOBAL Skepticism from ASLEEP THE SAME FEELING OF REAL
Argument
from
ASLEEP
When we sleep, and in a middle of dreaming
we are sure and believe that the situation, and whatever happen in dreaming, are real as if it is not a dream
. . . until we wake up…
then we realize that all the prior
happenings are a mere dream
But . . .
We in dreaming situation we
feel the world of dream as real
THE SAME FEELING OF REAL
of the real world when we wake up
Then . . .
What if that we think a dream is turn out to be real
And what we guess as real, now, is turn out to be a dream?
DREAM PARADOX
What if our “dreaming” after we have awaken is turn out to our real awakening, and our awakening is turn out to be our dreaming? 11

13. Skepticism Three Levels of Skepticism 3 Levels 1. There is no reality
Ontological, Epistemological, Hermeneutical
Three Levels of Skepticism
1. There is no reality
Ontological Skepticism
2. Even if there is reality,
we are not able to make sure
that it is reality
Epistemological Skepticism
3. Suppose there is reality,
and we sure on the reality, we still
have no words to express what
we know in our mind about the reality
Hermeneutical Skepticism