1. April, 16, 2010
EPISTEMOLOGY

2. EPISTEMOLOGY Historically
As an independent study / branch of knowledge
As a discourse / issues on knowledge
Arose since 17 C / 18 C
Since Greek antiquity
On the source or tool of knowledge
Some examples issues:
On the certitude in human knowledge
On the measure (mizan) of knowledge

3. On the source or tool of knowledge
Some epistemological issues
On the source or tool of knowledge
Since Greek antiquity
Concerning the instrument of knowledge
Heraclites (500 BC)
Parmenides (early 50 C. BC)
Emphasized on Sensorial perception
Emphasized on mere rationality
Plato (428BC BC )
We could not have knowledge from sensible world
Aristotle (382 B.C B.C)
Both Rationality and Sensory perception are valuable
RATIONALISM
After this ages, the western philosophers stand separately and OPPOSITIONALLY in one of both sides,
EMPIRICISM
Such as EPICUREAN (the followers of Epicurus [ BC]) : Only sense is valuable, there is no value for rationality as the tool of knowledge

4. ? ? On the problem of certitude in human knowledge Relativism
Some epistemological issues
On the problem of certitude in human knowledge
Since Greek antiquity ?
Problem of Sophism
Reject any certainty in knowledge
(C 5 BC)
Questioning
Is it possible that we have any knowledge at the level of certitude? ?
one of the most difficult subject in epistemology
Human is the measure of all thing
Protaghorias
Human as parameter of knowledge
Relativism
Phoron
Established skepticism

5. On the measure (mizan) of knowledge
Some epistemological issues
On the measure (mizan) of knowledge
Since Greek antiquity
Foundationlism
This theory holds that beliefs are justified (known, etc.) based on basic or foundationally beliefs, that is beliefs that give justificatory support to other beliefs. So this basic beliefs must be self-evident (badihi, self-justifying), or not justified by other beliefs (non-badihi, not an inferential justification). In this theory, a belief is justified only if it is justified by a basic belief or beliefs, or it is justified by a chain of beliefs that is supported by a basic belief or beliefs, and on which all the others are ultimately based.
The proof can be traced back to
Aristotle

6. A philosophical knowledge which analyzes:
EPISTEMOLOGY
explanation
Definition
A philosophical knowledge which analyzes:
The nature, essence, or reality of knowledge
The base of knowledge
The limit of knowledge
The justifiability of knowledge
Ref. to : Paul Edward, & Moser (Theory of Knowledge)
Ref. to : Paul Edward

7. 1 2 3 Analysis of knowledge Three meaning of “knowing”
Western contemporary philosopher (analytic philosopher)
What is knowledge ?
What is “to know” ?
Analytic division of the word “knowing”
Three meaning of “knowing” 1 2 3
I know driving, swimming, etc.
I know Jakarta, the book, etc
I know that A, B, C are true
Knowing “how to” means has skill to do something
Is “Jakarta” a knowledge? No it is object of knowledge
Knowledge of Skill
Knowledge by acquaintance
You recognize that one’s proposition is true
Propositional Knowledge

8. The usage of the word “knowing” The philosophical meaning of “knowing”
Analytic philosopher’s division of the word “knowing”
Mixing between
The usage of the word “knowing”
The philosophical meaning of “knowing”

9. Epistemology in western contemporary philosophy
Propositional Knowledge
Epistemology in western contemporary philosophy
Before 20 C
Epistemology includes
concept
proposition
Analytic philosophers focus themselves on
After 20 C
Propositional meaning of knowledge

10. ? After 20 C Propositional meaning of knowledge questioning
Analytic philosophers focus themselves on
After 20 C
Propositional meaning of knowledge
questioning ?
The aim of epistemology
Correspondence
To come to the fact
To grasp the reality
Finding the true or false

11. Correspondence to reality Real “PEN”
Attributes :
Blue color
Solid material
“PEN”
Long in size
Etc..
Real “PEN”
Has many attributes or predicates
Is “PEN”in itself an existence?
“PEN is blue, solid.., bla,,,bla…”
Object of knowledge
tashdiq
(pure) “PEN”
Not Object of knowledge
tashawwur

12. ?
DOUBT
The Existence of “I”

13. 1 Epistemology Three approaches General study (Broad sense)
1. Classical Approach : Socrates, Plato, Aristotle
2. Modern Approach : Start from Descartes
3. Contemporary Approach .
Epistemology
Religious doctrines,
ethical judgements;
mathematical studies,
etc.
Epistemological discourse
Concerning different
particular fields, such as:
Specific study
(Limited sense) 1

14. 2 Epistemology in General Main subject
The Nature and Scope of knowledge
Some of main questions
What is knowledge?
How is knowledge acquired?
What do people know?
How do we know that we know ?
What is true knowledge How can we have a true knowledge?
What is the criteria of true knowledge?
How do we know that our knowledge is true ore false ?
3 Approaches
Classical, Modern, and Contemporary 2

15. ? ? ? ? 3 Epistemology in General 3 Approaches Classical Approach
Classical, Modern, and Contemporary
Classical Approach
Some of the figures : Socrates (469 BC–399 BC ), Plato, Aristotle ?
Main questions
How do we know the reality? How can our mind come at the reality? ?
What is the criteria of true knowledge?
What is the value of knowledge? ? ?
It does not put “Reality” in question :
The Reality of Existence &
the Reality of the knower
is taken for granted as a foundation or basic belief
is regarded as self-evident or self-justified (badihi)
Hence, the epistemological building
in classical approach is grounded on basic belief
At least, the reality, the knower himself,
his emotion, sense, 3

16. The ground object of belief
Modern Approach
Main figure : Descartes (1596 – 1650 )
Modern approach in epistemology is begun from the since from the Rationalism of Rene Descartes.
Cartesian rationalism is the result of his methodical skepticism
is aimed at eliminating
all belief which it is
possible to doubt, thus
leaving us with indubitable
beliefs, from which
further knowledge is derived.
Descartes held that a knowing subject
can doubt on all of his knowledge.
But how can he doubt on his doubt?
As the consequence, how can one who
doubts doubt himself as real?
The ground object of belief
Our doubt 4

17. ? ? 5 “Cogito, ergo sum” Cogito ergo sum Modern Approach
The Cartesian Epistemological Steps
From DOUBT
to CERTAINTY
then build further KNOWLEDGE
Cogito
ergo sum
What is the criteria of indubitable knowledge?
It must be 1. CLEAR & DISTINCT 5

18. 6 Modern Approach What is the criteria of indubitable knowledge?
It must be 1. CLEAR & DISTINCT
(clarity contrasts with obscurity)
distinctness contrasts with confusion
Innate idea
Such as ideas in :
mathematics (e.g., number, line, triangle)
logic (e.g., contradiction, necessity),
metaphysics (e.g., identity, substance, causality).
even our sensory ideas, of colors, sounds, tastes, and the like,
whose content draws from the mind itself.
Including GOD,
(Since source of perfect idea in one’s imperfect mind, must not
come from the imperfect but Perfect itself, that is God.)
ideas whose
content derives
solely from the nature
of the mind itself.
GOD, is an idea
But This is a conceptual God,
That we cannot worship to
But the idea is the primary, so He is real 6

19. Contemporary Approach JUSTIFIED TRUE BELIEF (JTB)
Modern Approach
Contemporary Approach
Starts from methodical skepticism
The question:
What is indubitable knowledge?
Main belief must be clear and distinct
Start from defining knowledge
The question is
What is knowledge ?
A knowledge must have 3 epistemic attributes:
Belief
Justified
True
The Epistemological Steps of Contemporary approach
DEFINITION of KNOWLEDGE
ANALYSIS of the definition
FINDING THE 3 ATTRIBUTES, 1 2
Knowledge = (must be)
JUSTIFIED TRUE BELIEF (JTB) 3 7

20. 8 Classical Modern Contemporary Based on a preceding
indubitable basic belief
(the existence of reality)
assumed taken for granted
Contemporary
From
skeptic (methodical) to
ultimate indubitable certainty
from
analysis to
knowledge
Influenced by
Western acute Skepticism
Under
Analytic approach (analytic Philosophy)
spell
Certainty
Doubt
100%
human knowledge
can be true
(objectively grasp reality
as it is)
Confident
50% - 50 %
Between
+/-80% 8

21. That one cannot possess knowledge in some particular domain.
SCEPTICISM
Global skepticism
Local skepticism
That one cannot possess knowledge in some particular domain.
( absolute skepticism / universal skepticism) that one cannot know anything at all.
Two common Arguments
The argument
from ASLEEP
The argument
from ERROR 9

22. It is adopted from a moral thesis
GLOBAL
Skepticism
Argument
from
ERROR
Two premises
Premise 1
Premise 2
Universalizability
It is adopted from a moral thesis
A situation must be equally applicable to every relevantly identical situation
We mistaken in many situations in which we think we have knowledge claims.
There are also situations we have knowledge claims that we don't know we are not mistaken about.
CONCLUSION
All human knowledge can be false,
we cannot know whether or not we are mistaken,
Human has no knowledge (justified true believe) 10

23. 11 GLOBAL Skepticism from ASLEEP THE SAME FEELING OF REAL
Argument
from
ASLEEP
When we sleep, and in a middle of dreaming
we are sure and believe that the situation, and whatever happen in dreaming, are real as if it is not a dream
. . . until we wake up…
then we realize that all the prior
happenings are a mere dream
But . . .
We in dreaming situation we
feel the world of dream as real
THE SAME FEELING OF REAL
of the real world when we wake up
Then . . .
What if that we think a dream is turn out to be real
And what we guess as real, now, is turn out to be a dream?
DREAM PARADOX
What if our “dreaming” after we have awaken is turn out to our real awakening, and our awakening is turn out to be our dreaming? 11

24. Skepticism Three Levels of Skepticism 3 Levels 1. There is no reality
Ontological, Epistemological, Hermeneutical
Three Levels of Skepticism
1. There is no reality
Ontological Skepticism
2. Even if there is a reality,
we are not able to make sure
that it is reality
Epistemological Skepticism
3. Suppose there is reality or thing which is real,
and we sure on the reality, we still
have no words to express what
our mind know about the reality
Hermeneutical Skepticism

25. On Descartes’ Methodical Skepticism
Task :
On Descartes’ Methodical Skepticism
There are more or less than 12 steps
How Descartes went to his skepticism
Until he got certainty …..
Write a paper on this by referring to
Descartes’ book Discourse on Method !
The paper must be submitted next week !