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What Can We Know?: An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge
This book analyzes the central topics in epistemology such as truth, justification, and belief. The coverage is comprehensive, ranging from skepticism to religious belief (belief and acceptance). The most comprehensive book in the field, it is written in a friendly, conversational manner without unnecessary philosophical jargon or needless logical symbols.
- GenresPhilosophy
368 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 1, 2021
What can we Know? What is Truth?
Knowledge entails truth. Should entail truth. That is what I ‘believe’.
Especially today (2021), with it’s ‘alternative facts’ this is a very important book!
I ‘believe’ that truth should be based on facts. Real facts. Justified true belief.
And that is what this book is all about. How do we acquire knowledge.
So called ‘Pragmatic truth’ does not do it. That belief is true if it is useful. It’s about
practical succes even if the facts indicate otherwise. That is politics and religion.
It is not an easy book. It is deep and dense.
For me reading this, it made me once again aware that everyone really has ones own truth system, justified by ones own beliefs. As long as people openly communicate and listen to one another, everything will be ok. This book will help in that respect. It outlines how knowledge and beliefs are acquired and how different that is for everyone. For me it once again reminded me to be open for other ideas and beliefs. No judgments!
People are not aware how they come to their beliefs and subsequent knowledge. We like to think that we are aware but we really are not.
Knowledge as true justified belief is scarce.
The internet is the perfect example with all its social media where misinformation is rampant and people ‘believe’ the most outrageous things.
The justification process of knowledge is what this is all about!
And the nature of belief.
One cannot equate knowledge to belief.
But is seems that humans act more from their beliefs than from their knowledge base. Once again rational behaviour seems beyond the grasp of humankind. That’s why, once again, this is an important book.
Upon finishing the book a vague uneasiness crept up on me: is this book like ‘much to do about nothing’. Does not every person live in its own world with its own truth? Is it useless to even think about it? I really do not think so. Being aware of how knowledge and beliefs are formed gives a understanding in oneself and other people. Which is the very fabric on which a functioning society should be based.
Knowledge entails truth. Should entail truth. That is what I ‘believe’.
Especially today (2021), with it’s ‘alternative facts’ this is a very important book!
I ‘believe’ that truth should be based on facts. Real facts. Justified true belief.
And that is what this book is all about. How do we acquire knowledge.
So called ‘Pragmatic truth’ does not do it. That belief is true if it is useful. It’s about
practical succes even if the facts indicate otherwise. That is politics and religion.
It is not an easy book. It is deep and dense.
For me reading this, it made me once again aware that everyone really has ones own truth system, justified by ones own beliefs. As long as people openly communicate and listen to one another, everything will be ok. This book will help in that respect. It outlines how knowledge and beliefs are acquired and how different that is for everyone. For me it once again reminded me to be open for other ideas and beliefs. No judgments!
People are not aware how they come to their beliefs and subsequent knowledge. We like to think that we are aware but we really are not.
Knowledge as true justified belief is scarce.
The internet is the perfect example with all its social media where misinformation is rampant and people ‘believe’ the most outrageous things.
The justification process of knowledge is what this is all about!
And the nature of belief.
One cannot equate knowledge to belief.
But is seems that humans act more from their beliefs than from their knowledge base. Once again rational behaviour seems beyond the grasp of humankind. That’s why, once again, this is an important book.
Upon finishing the book a vague uneasiness crept up on me: is this book like ‘much to do about nothing’. Does not every person live in its own world with its own truth? Is it useless to even think about it? I really do not think so. Being aware of how knowledge and beliefs are formed gives a understanding in oneself and other people. Which is the very fabric on which a functioning society should be based.
March 22, 2021
Just finished reading this book for the 2nd time in 2020/2021 after reading it in in 2016. After I had gained some more knowledge from other sources on filosophy - epistemology I was better prepared to read this text book.
Again it helped me to think about what knowledge is and how we can acquire it. It was good to read the discussion and the viewpoint from many angles. With regard ro scepticism I was struck by the opinion of G.E. Moore which keeps the issue close to himself: (1) if scepticism is true we have no knowledge of the external world. (2) We do have knowledge of the external world since we k ow pur body (3) Therefore scptisim is wrong. The justification of knowledge chapters were very helpfull based on the starting point knowledge is justified true belief. This in itself proves ro be wrong since how can we justify that belief? Being consistent appears to very difficult in philosophy (and life by the way). Coherence is still much followed but since the Gettier problem and the inconsistency it is under debate. Solutions are looked upon by analyzing the process on how knowledge is build up. Quine ends the search for normative epistemology by a more descriptive form claiming that any truth can be supported by evidence as long as one fits it in in a coherent framework of truths. Pojman seems ro follow this path.
The last chapter is interesting with regard to the religious debate. Some issues cannot be solved. Following Quine both positions can be defended using the evidence. This implies that different world views directs different proofs, soft perspectivism acknowledges that exchange between the opposite perspectives is possible and disucssion can take place based on rational thoughts being open for the opposite view. That is possibly as far as we can get. So no clear cut answers but to be honest after searching for these answers for quite some time I did not expect this anymore !
Book is very worthwhile because of the systematic approach and the opposite opinions which are explained.
Again it helped me to think about what knowledge is and how we can acquire it. It was good to read the discussion and the viewpoint from many angles. With regard ro scepticism I was struck by the opinion of G.E. Moore which keeps the issue close to himself: (1) if scepticism is true we have no knowledge of the external world. (2) We do have knowledge of the external world since we k ow pur body (3) Therefore scptisim is wrong. The justification of knowledge chapters were very helpfull based on the starting point knowledge is justified true belief. This in itself proves ro be wrong since how can we justify that belief? Being consistent appears to very difficult in philosophy (and life by the way). Coherence is still much followed but since the Gettier problem and the inconsistency it is under debate. Solutions are looked upon by analyzing the process on how knowledge is build up. Quine ends the search for normative epistemology by a more descriptive form claiming that any truth can be supported by evidence as long as one fits it in in a coherent framework of truths. Pojman seems ro follow this path.
The last chapter is interesting with regard to the religious debate. Some issues cannot be solved. Following Quine both positions can be defended using the evidence. This implies that different world views directs different proofs, soft perspectivism acknowledges that exchange between the opposite perspectives is possible and disucssion can take place based on rational thoughts being open for the opposite view. That is possibly as far as we can get. So no clear cut answers but to be honest after searching for these answers for quite some time I did not expect this anymore !
Book is very worthwhile because of the systematic approach and the opposite opinions which are explained.
January 17, 2025
I was required to read this for a philosophy class "Philosophy of The Human Person."
This was by far one of the most life changing books I've had to read, and in all of the philosophy classes I've taken.
Insightful and profound; definitely would recommend to anyone; knowledgeable in philosophy, or not!
This was by far one of the most life changing books I've had to read, and in all of the philosophy classes I've taken.
Insightful and profound; definitely would recommend to anyone; knowledgeable in philosophy, or not!
March 29, 2022
簡單明瞭的知識論教材。當年上知識論的指定用書。
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews