Theory of Knowledge

Introduction You know a lot by now! Easy access to even more knowledge Newspapers!‘Alien base found on dark side of the moon’ - Internet!‘Elvis is alive’ websites Claims made about future all the time

‘There is no likelihood that humans will ever tap the power of the atom’ Robert Millikan, Nobel Prize winner in Physics ‘The atom bomb will never go off and I speak as an expert’ Admiral Leahy, advisor to the US President (1945) ‘I think there will be a world market for 5 computers’ Thomas Watson, founder of IBM (1958) ‘By 2000 women will wear pants, men will wear skirts, both sexes will go bare-chested and clothes will be see-through.’ Rudi Gernreitch. American fashion expert (1970) ‘The internet will never take off.’ Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft (1988) It isn t just stupid people who get things wrong! It could be that what you learn in school will not be totally correct How do you know if something is true?

Current estimates are that the universe is 15 billion years old - The earth is 4.55 billion years old Humans developed about 2 million years ago - These figures are controversial! – most probably wrong 12pm 1 January – and the universe began exactly 1 year ago 1 May – the galaxy formed 9 September – solar system Few days later the earth was formed (14th) 25 September – life begins 12 November – oldest photosynthetic plants develop 1 December – significant quantity of oxygen in the atmosphere For the first 8 ½ months there was no earth For another 2 ½ there was no conceivable way for humans to survive 19 December – fish developed – trees followed soon after (23rd) 24 Decemeber – dinosaurs, mammals 26th 28th December – seems a massive comet hit earth causing major climatic change killing dinosaurs 31 December – humans appeared – all human history happened on the last day of the year 11.59.59 – Renaissance and Industrial Revolution We (in this room) have existed for a tiny fraction of second, on the last day How likely is it that we have found out any profound truths about the universe?

What is knowledge? Isn’t it just Organised common sense? Many people see knowledge as organised common sense – some validity but often little more than vague & untested beliefs based on prejudice, hearsay and blind appeals to authority Common sense is a starting point in coping with the world Mental map of reality – our ideas of T & F, what is reasonable/ unreasonable, right/wrong However, you should be willing to subject your MM to critical scrutiny

Mercator Projection Distorts relative size – places further from Equator = larger. Africa 4x Greenland Northern Hemisphere at top – no up or down! Eurocentric – Pacific?

Hobo-Dyer projection – accurately reflects relative sizes of the land masses (shapes distorted) Disorientating! Illustrates grip habitual ways of thinking have on our minds – difficult to break Common sense mental maps may give us a distorted picture of reality Ideas & beliefs – own exp, parents, friends, teachers, books, media Can t check everything – MM - likely inaccuracies, half truths, falsehoods Customs & conventions – difficult to think outside what we are familiar with Cultural biases – Greatest writer? Greatest scientist? (GB = Shakespeare, Newton. Italy = Dante, Galileo)

Can we have a perfect map? Can we have a perfect map? 1:1 – quickly out of date – to be useful it has to be imperfect ‘the map is not the territory’

What are you certain of? List in order the five things in life that you are most certain of . Compare your list with someone else’s. Can you come to any agreement? If there are problems with our common sense picture should we stick to what we are certain about? If you know something you are certain it is true If you believe something you may think it is true, but you are not certain But, how certain can we ever be?

Consider the following four statements I know that Neil Armstrong landed on the moon in 1969 I know that strawberries are red I know that is a is bigger that b and b is bigger than c, then a is bigger than c. I know that murder is wrong

Which of the 4 ways of knowing can we use to explain how you know? I know that Neil Armstrong landed on the moon in 1969 I know that strawberries are red I know that is a is bigger that b and b is bigger than c, then a is bigger than c. I know that murder is wrong Language – Perception – Reason - Emotion I know that Neil Armstrong landed on the moon in 1969 – Language, as we claim to know things because we read them or we have been told them. But people are not always reliable – even experts sometimes get it wrong. Conspiracy theories about moon landings I know that strawberries are red – Sometimes our senses deceive us. Colour blind. I know that is a is bigger that b and b is bigger than c, then a is bigger than c. - Reason I know that murder is wrong – Emotion, but what is intuitively obvious to me may not be intuitively obvious to you. Gut feelings differe e.g. on abortion or capital punishment

Which of the 4 ways of knowing can we use to explain how you know? I know that Neil Armstrong landed on the moon in 1969 I know that strawberries are red I know that is a is bigger that b and b is bigger than c, then a is bigger than c. I know that murder is wrong Language – Perception – Reason - Emotion

I exist Radical doubt Matrix Truman Show Is life just a dream?

Relativism All truth is relative? But, not everything can be – Earth round? But, for a relativist there has to be one absolute truth! That all truth is relative! ‘true for you’ ‘false for me’ - Relativism seems attractive, but

What should we believe? Role of judgement –balancing the evidence Danger of gullibility – internet Danger of scepticism – closed mind Balance between open mindedness and scepticism

Reasonable knowledge Evidence – must be positive Argument ad ignorantium Wary of confirmation bias – astrology! 2. Coherence – fits in - Current state of knowledge

Who cares? Are some beliefs more worthy than others? How important is it to examine our own beliefs? What examples are there of dangerous and misguided beliefs that have caused harm?

Perception Print his sheet out. Get them to count the leprechauns. Then cut the top half as shown and swap the top halfs – ONE MORE LEPRECHAUN! How?! How safe is our perception of truth?!

Perception

How many leprechauns?

Perception Tractor Perspective Illusion - Optical Illusion Image Gallery #33