Reading Epistemology

Sven Bernecker is Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Manchester and Privatdozent for Philosophy at the University of Munich. He has written on epistemology, metaphysics and philosophy of mind and is co-editor with Fred Dretske of Knowledge: Readings in Contemporary Epistemology (2000).

"Sven Bernecker's book is an excellent one for students. The selected passages are very well chosen, and the commentaries are explanatory, acute, interesting and well informed. By not being over detailed or dogmatic, they will serve to stimulate critical thought, which is very much the book's aim." Paul Snowdon, University College London "Bernecker goes beyond the traditional anthology by combining well-chosen primary sources with carefully constructed commentary on each source … which not only help the reader make sense of complex arguments and theses, but which also place the primary sources in the context of the debates and controversies from which they arise. Anyone who teaches epistemology will want to take a close look at this text." Saul Traiger, Occidental College

• Preface viiiSources and Acknowledgements ixIntroduction 11 Defining Knowledge 4Introduction to the Problem 4Introduction to Pollock 7John L. Pollock, ‘The Gettier Problem’ 8Commentary on Pollock 11Introduction to Nozick 14Robert Nozick, ‘Conditions for Knowledge’ 15Commentary on Nozick 212 Justification and Truth 27Introduction to the Problem 27Introduction to Goldman 30Alvin I. Goldman, ‘What is Justified Belief ?’ 31Commentary on Goldman 41Introduction to Foley 44Richard Foley, ‘What’s Wrong with Reliabilism?’ 44Commentary on Foley 533 Duties and Virtues 57Introduction to the Problem 57Introduction to Steup 60Matthias Steup, ‘A Defense of Internalism’ 60Commentary on Steup 75Introduction to Sosa 80Ernest Sosa, ‘Reliabilism and Intellectual Virtue’ 80Commentary on Sosa 894 Knowledge by Hearsay 93Introduction to the Problem 93Introduction to Fricker 95Elizabeth Fricker, ‘Against Gullibility’ 95Commentary on Fricker 107Introduction to Burge 109Tyler Burge, ‘Content Preservation’ 110Commentary on Burge 1195 Foundations or Coherence? 122Introduction to the Problem 122Introduction to Alston 124William P. Alston, ‘Two Types of Foundationalism’ 125Commentary on Alston 135Introduction to BonJour 139Laurence BonJour, ‘The Coherence Theory of EmpiricalKnowledge’ 139Commentary on BonJour 1506 Scepticism in Context 156Introduction to the Problem 156Introduction to Dretske 159Fred Dretske, ‘The Pragmatic Dimension of Knowledge’ 159Commentary on Dretske 169Introduction to Williams 173Michael Williams, ‘Realism and Scepticism’ 174Commentary on Williams 182Essay/Examination Questions 186Further Reading 188Index 194