Book (Core Questions in Philosophy)

Chapter 14 The Reliability Theory of Knowledge

Homework Requirements

Homework assignment must contain.

(1) a summary of the chapter,

(2) discussions on one of the major issues in the chapter, and

(3) a statement of your personal stance on this issue.

Each homework assignment is to be no less than 2 pages double-spaced, and no more than 3 pages double-spaced.

All direct quotes from the textbook or any other sources must be placed in quotation marks with reference to the sources.

You may follow either APA or MLA style to document references, but be consistent. Do not mix styles.

Please, No plagiarism.

Review Questions

1. At the beginning of this chapter, I said that Descartes held that knowledge is "internally certifiable." What does this mean? Does the Reliability Theory of Knowledge agree?

2. What is the difference between logical necessity, nomological necessity, and circumstantial necessity?

3. What does it mean to say that claims about circumstantial necessity are "ambiguous"?

4. What does it mean to say that a thermometer is "reliable"? What analogy does the Reliability Theory of Knowledge see between reliable thermometers and knowledge?

5. How does the Reliability Theory of Knowledge assess the following skeptical argument: "I can imagine that my senses are now malfunctioning. Hence, I don't know now that there is a printed page in front of me."

6. What does it mean to say that knowledge is "relative"? Relative to what?

7. Does the relativity thesis entail that skepticism is correct?

Attachment:- Chapter14-The ReliabilityTheory of Knowledge.rar