Teaching Theory of Knowledge

1. The Traditional Analysis of Knowledge

      When Gettier published his famous paper "Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?" in 1963, it was thought in some philosophical quarters that he had destroyed a long-standing "tradition" in epistemology regarding the correct analysis or definition of knowledge. This traditional view which certain philosophers trace back to Plato's Theaetetus, claims that what distinguishes knowledge from mere true opinion and/or lucky guess is that the former but not the latter is based upon some form of justification: hence, the notion that knowledge is nothing other than justified true belief. Gettier himself may have unwittingly lent further support to the idea that this view of knowledge dates back to Plato by citing two then current conceptions of knowledge, each held by a leading epistemologist of the day and each in seeming agreement with the major elements of the Platonic conception. Whatever the reality of the tradition, no philosopher since Gettier has seriously and successfully defended this so called traditional view.

Cross References

For additional readings on the relationship between the so-called "Traditional Analysis of Knowledge" and the Gettier problem, see also "The Gettier Problem" in this section.

For a brief discussion of whether the "Justified True Belief" account of knowledge should be attributed to Plato, see also "Theory of Knowledge in Ancient Philosophy" in the "Historical Sources" section.

Readings

Ayer, A. J. The Problem of Knowledge. Middlesex, England: Pelican Books. 1984.

Chisholm, R. The Foundations of Knowing. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1983.

Chisholm, R. Perceiving: A Philosophical Study. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1961.

Lehrer, K. Knowledge. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1974. See especially chapters 1-3.

MacGiver, P. M. "Presidential Address." Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society. 1959.

Plato. Theaetetus.

Russell, B. Human Knowledge, Its Scope and Limits. New York: Simon and Schuster. 1948.

Russell, B. Our Knowledge of the External World. London: George Allen and Unwin, Ltd., 1926.