JUSTIFICATION OF TRUTH CLAIMS Philosophy Meetup BACKGROUND ISSUES

JUSTIFICATION OF TRUTH CLAIMS Philosophy Meetup

BACKGROUND ISSUES Philosophical Categories Foundational Principles Nature of Knowledge and Truth

THE FIELDS OF PHILOSOPHY Metaphysics – the study of the nature of reality. Epistemology – the study of the nature of knowledge Axiology – the study of the nature of value. § Ethics –values in the realm of morality § Aesthetics– values in the realm of beauty and art Logic – principles of right reasoning

2 FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES Principle of non-contradiction - no real being can both be and not be at the same time and in the same respect. Principle of sufficient reason: every being has the sufficient reason for existence in itself or in another. It is not possible for something to be its own cause (otherwise it would violate the Principle of non-contradiction). Every being that cannot explain its own existence must be caused by another.

EPISTEMOLOGICAL QUESTIONS What is the proper definition of truth? § Coherence and Pragmatic Definitions are inadequate § Truth should be defined as that which corresponds to reality. If truth is that which corresponds to reality, then truth is objective, not subjective (at least some things are true apart from my own feelings/perceptions about them).

EPISTEMOLOGICAL QUESTIONS What is knowledge? § Justified true belief.

EPISTEMOLOGICAL QUESTIONS How is a true belief justified? § Experience § 5 senses § Reason § Revelation (authority)

EGO-CENTRIC PREDICAMENT John Locke’s epistemological dualism: The two factors involved in knowledge are (1) mind which knows, and (2) its ideas which are known. § The ego-centric predicament: If we know only our ideas directly, how can we be certain of their correspondence with things in the external world?

THEORIES OF JUSTIFICATION Evidentialism – every belief must have evidence Foundationalism – some beliefs are properly basic Coherentism – consistency of beliefs justifies Founderentism –combination of two previous § Crossword puzzle analogy Reformed Epistemology – belief in God is properly basic

ALL POSSIBLE KNOWLEDGE