The Theory of Knowledge: A Thematic Introduction

by Paul K. Moser, Dwayne H. Mulder

The Theory of A Thematic Introduction explains the main ideas and problems of contemporary epistemology while avoiding technical detail. Comprehensive and rich in illustrations and examples, it highlights contemporary debates over the definition, sources, and limits of human knowledge, and covers major topics including the nature of belief, theories of truth, epistemic justification, the Gettier problem, skepticism, and epistemic rationality. Its discussions identify important connections between traditional epistemological questions and cognitive science, the history of science, the sociology of knowledge, and cross-cultural studies.
The book culminates with a focus on questions regarding epistemological method and an examination of the roots of contemporary analytic approaches to epistemology. The authors defend a distinctive position regarding epistemological method, called broad explanationism, that incorporates some insights from naturalism in epistemology. The volume is enhanced by a glossary of important epistemological terms and suggestions for further reading. Easily accessible to beginning students in philosophy, The Theory of Knowledge serves as an ideal text for courses in the theory of knowledge and will also appeal to general readers interested in philosophy.

Genres: Philosophy

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 11, 1997

About the author

Paul Moser is an American analytic philosopher who writes on epistemology and the philosophy of religion. He is professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy at Loyola University Chicago and editor of American Philosophical Quarterly. He is the author of many works in epistemology and the philosophy of religion, in which he has supported versions of epistemic foundationalism and volitional theism. His latest work brings these two positions together to support volitional evidentialism about theistic belief, in contrast to fideism and traditional natural theology. His work draws from some epistemological and theological insights of Blaise Pascal, John Oman, and H. H. Farmer, but adds (i) a notion of purposively available evidence of God’s existence, (ii) a notion of authoritative evidence in contrast with spectator evidence, and (iii) a notion of personifying evidence of God whereby some willing humans become salient evidence of God's existence.

Reviews

[Yohanes Saputra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction, a right choice to approach epistemology thematically. I stopped in one of the components of knowledge, the conditions, which takes up almost half the book. I still have to study the other components though, so I let this review unfinished and will, over time, fill this up.
.
.
.
What is Epistemology?
Epistemology is a study of knowledge. That's too vague a picture of it and really is not helpful to what we are getting at. I'll try to tell you why it is important, and that has to do with skepticism. The skeptics have believed that knowledge is impossible, for the very reasons that we don't have certainty over what we believed, and so, to my understanding, philosophers have been dwelling on this issue and found many interesting things about knowledge. For a short answer from a very long, complex answer, knowledge is justified true belief. But to know this we need to understand what are they (yes, "they" as in it consists of three separate components that has been studied.)

The Conditions

[Jeffrey Romine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I suppose it takes a certain kind of person to enjoy such a book as this. Such a person would need to like philosophy, sure, be willing to read heavy sentences, yes, believe there is value in hearing both sides of an argument, okay, and be receptive to new ideas. Indeed.

[Jacob · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will give this book another read sometime in the near future. Maybe my thoughts and current studies within the social sciences will benefit from this book.