Dr Tom Kerns
North Seattle Community College

 

Discussion Questions

On Epistemology

Please respond in the classroom to the following five questions. Then discuss each other's responses to the questions.

Imagine a person, Joe, who holds the following assertions to be absolutely and indubitably true. He believes with total certitude that these assertions are true. There is not a shred of doubt in his mind about any of them, and he thinks that anyone who could doubt, even for a minute, the truth of assertions like these must just be really stupid, or a total fool, or maybe insane.

I would like you to consider what the foundation of Joe's beliefs about these things might be, and what could be some possible areas of potential doubt with regard to these specific beliefs. In other words, what might Joe not be considering about his beliefs that could make these assertions, in fact, potentially untrue?

Joe believes the following assertions with 100% absolute certitude. He "knows" they are true. I would like you to consider what aspects of these beliefs Joe may not be considering, which could then possibly make his beliefs potentially untrue.
  1. All his life, so far as he knows, Joe has lived with a certain adult man and woman who have told him that they are his biological parents. He thus believes with absolute certitude that "This is the woman (he says, pointing to the woman whom he believes to be his mother) who gave birth to me."

    Foundation: How exactly does Joe know it to be true that she gave birth to him? What is the epistemological foundation of his belief? That is, what is his belief based on? Is it based on his immediate present-time experience? On his memory of an earlier experience? On his having been told this by someone who claims to be an authority on the matter? On some line of argument based on his own logical deductions? One something else?

    Possible doubts: Is Joe's absolute certitude about this matter fully justified epistemologically? That is, do you see any possible ways that Joe's absolutely certain belief about this particular thing might actually be mistaken? What other possibilities could he consider that might make it so that he is actually mistaken about this particular belief? That is, where might there be some room for possible doubt in Joe's certitude that would be cause for reducing his belief from absolute certitude to simple probability?

  2. When asked if he remembers what he had for dinner last night Joe answers "You bet I do. I had a hamburger, a bowl of lentil soup, and a glass of milk. Oh yes, also a piece of chocolate cake."

    Foundation: How exactly does Joe know this to be true? What is the epistemological foundation of his belief? That is, what is his belief based on? Is it based on his immediate present-time experience? On his memory of an earlier experience? On his having been told this by someone who claims to be an authority on the matter? On some line of argument based on his own logical deductions? One something else?

    Possible doubts: Is Joe's absolute certitude about this matter fully justified epistemologically? That is, do you see any possible ways that Joe's absolutely certain belief about this particular thing might actually be mistaken? What other possibilities could he consider that might make it so that he is actually mistaken about this particular belief? That is, where might there be some room for possible doubt in Joe's certitude that would be cause for reducing his belief from absolute certitude to simple probability?

  3. When asked if he knows where his car is right now, Joe answers "Of course I do. It's right where I parked it, out in the garage."

    Foundation: How exactly does Joe know this to be true? What is the epistemological foundation of his belief? That is, what is his belief based on? Is it based on his immediate present-time experience? On his memory of an earlier experience? On his having been told this by someone who claims to be an authority on the matter? On some line of argument based on his own logical deductions? One something else?

    Possible doubts: Is Joe's absolute certitude about this matter fully justified epistemologically? That is, do you see any possible ways that Joe's absolutely certain belief about this particular thing might actually be mistaken? What other possibilities could he consider that might make it so that he is actually mistaken about this particular belief? That is, where might there be some room for possible doubt in Joe's certitude that would be cause for reducing his belief from absolute certitude to simple probability?

  4. When asked if he knows what shape the earth is, Joe answers "Of course I do; everyone knows that. It's round."

    Foundation: How exactly does Joe know this to be true? What is the epistemological foundation of his belief? That is, what is his belief based on? Is it based on his immediate present-time experience? On his memory of an earlier experience? On his having been told this by someone who claims to be an authority on the matter? On some line of argument based on his own logical deductions? One something else?

    Possible doubts: Is Joe's absolute certitude about this matter fully justified epistemologically? That is, do you see any possible ways that Joe's absolutely certain belief about this particular thing might actually be mistaken? What other possibilities could he consider that might make it so that he is actually mistaken about this particular belief? That is, where might there be some room for possible doubt in Joe's certitude that would be cause for reducing his belief from absolute certitude to simple probability?

  5. When asked if he knows whether the earth moves or does not move, Joe answers "Of course I do; everyone knows that. The earth definitely moves, you dummy. It spins on its axis once a day, and it circulates around the sun once a year. Where've you been, you dumbo?"

    Foundation: How exactly does Joe know this to be true? What is the epistemological foundation of his belief? That is, what is his belief based on? Is it based on his immediate present-time experience? On his memory of an earlier experience? On his having been told this by someone who claims to be an authority on the matter? On some line of argument based on his own logical deductions? One something else?

    Possible doubts: Is Joe's absolute certitude about this matter fully justified epistemologically? That is, do you see any possible ways that Joe's absolutely certain belief about this particular thing might actually be mistaken? What other possibilities could he consider that might make it so that he is actually mistaken about this particular belief? That is, where might there be some room for possible doubt in Joe's certitude that would be cause for reducing his belief from absolute certitude to simple probability?