1. Epistemology – The study of knowledge
What is knowledge?
Epistemology – The study of knowledge

2. Shh…DO NOT DISCUSS THIS WITH ANYONE! (Quiet, Trey.)
Hurry! Grab a piece of scratch paper! Never mind I’ll hand a piece to you.
1. Write down something you would say you believe to be true, but you wouldn’t say you actually know it. Why aren’t you sure that it is true?
Shh…DO NOT DISCUSS THIS WITH ANYONE! (Quiet, Trey.)

3. Don’t put that scratch paper away!
2. Write down something you would say that you know to be true. Why do you feel comfortable saying that it’s true?
Again, please…DO NOT DISCUSS THIS WITH ANYONE!

4. We still need that scratch paper?
3. What is it the difference? What is it about (#2) that makes it different from (#1)?
DO NOT DISCUSS THIS WITH ANYONE!

5. NOW YOU CAN TALK TO EACH OTHER!
Now, pick someone from across the room for which you will discuss and share your results
4. Compare your answers to (#3). Based on your answers, derive a rule that could be used as a “test” of truth. (Maybe you could create, dare I say…an argument for a test of the truth rule?
NOW YOU CAN TALK TO EACH OTHER!

6. Now, 1 person per group please stand up and walk to the board…write your group’s “Test of Truth RULE.”

7. Let’s talk… What are some of the similarities and differences between the rules?
Can we take the similarities and differences and make a “Class” TEST OF THE TRUTH?

8. Epistemology Vocabulary Terms
Relativism: The idea that our knowledge of the real world must be assisted by our mental constructs, and that the truth or falsity of a statement is relative to a social group or individual.
Rationalism: “a priori” The idea that reason alone is a source of knowledge and is independent of experience. It is the belief that reason does not require experience in order to be understood and that all of the truths of the world exist in innate forms.
Empiricism: “a posteriori” The philosophical belief that states your knowledge of the world is based on your experiences, particularly your sensory experiences. Learning is based on our observations and perception; knowledge is not possible without experience.
Transcendentalism: A philosophy that the human self, or transcendental ego, constructs knowledge out of sense impressions and from universal concepts that are imposed upon them.

9. Epistemology is The theory of knowledge
We have an idea of “knowledge” – But… What do the experts say?

10. What do Epistemologist ask?
1. What is knowledge?
2. Can we know anything at all?
3. How do we obtain knowledge?