The Theory of Knowledge

"Many helpful features (bibliography, glossary, etc.) for students. Good mix of historical reflection and current state of the issues."--Steve Nichols, Lancaster Bible College Advance praise: "Co-authored by three philosophers, the contents and organization of this text have had to pass intense scrutiny guided by three different approaches and sets of background assumptions. The outcome is balanced, well organized, and engaging. The authors have done their work very well indeed." --Ernest Sosa, Brown University "A highly useful text for undergraduate courses in epistemology. Perhaps the best text of its kind to date."--James Maffie, Colorado State University "A remarkably clear, accessible, and useful text."--Ralph Aquila, Tulane University

Chapter 1: Epistemology: A First Look 1: Why Study Knowledge? 2: Some Doubts about Knowledge 3: Traditional Definition of Knowledge 4: Knowledge and Experience 5: Intuitions and Theory Chapter 2: Explaining Knowledge 1: The Scope of Epistemology 2: The Concept of Knowledge 3: Epistemology, Naturalism, and Pragmatism 4: Value in Epistemology Chapter 3: Belief 1: Belief and Representational States 2: Belief and Belief-Ascription 3: Are Beliefs Transparent? 4: Belief and Theoretical Ideals 5: Eliminativism and Prediction Chapter 4: Truth 1: Relativism 2: Truth and Correspondence 3: Truth and Coherence 4: Truth and Pragmatic Value 5: Kinds and Notions of Truth Chapter 5: Jusitification and Beyond 1: Justifications, Truth and Defeat 2: Inferential Justification and the Regress Problem 3: Supplementing Justification: The Gettier Problem Chapter 6: Sources of Knowledge 1: Rationalism, Empiricism, and Innatissm 2: Empiricism, Positivism, and Underdetermination 3: Intuitions and First-Person Reports 4: Memory 5: Theoretical Unification 6: Testimony and Social Dependence Chapter 7: Rationality 1: Preliminary Distinctions 2: Rational Inference: Normative and Descriptive 3: Consistency and Wayward Beliefs 4: Rationality and Decision Under Uncertainty 5: Integrative Considerations about Rationality Chapter 8: Skepticism 1: Some Species of Skepticism 2: Some Skeptical Arguments 3: A Reply from Common Sense 4: Skepticism, Naturalism, and Broad Explanation Chapter 9: Epistemology and Explanation 1: Origins of Contemporary Epistemology 2: Ultimate Epistemological Authority 3: Explanation and Knowledge References For Further Reading Glossary Index