Belief and Knowledge

by Kenneth M. Sayre

Contesting much contemporary epistemology and cognitive science, noted philosopher Kenneth M. Sayre argues that, while some cognitive attitudes such as believing take propositions as objects, there are many others (knowing, hoping, fearing, etc.) whose objects are instead states of affairs. Therefore, knowledge cannot be belief with other factors such as justification added, nor can hope and fear be relations a subject bears to neuronal brain states functioning as propositional representations. To support these claims Sayre undertakes a detailed exploration of belief and knowledge and traces the relations of cognitive attitudes to a network of related concepts like certainty, truth, representation, and intentionality. His findings not only challenge current orthodoxy but open new paths of research in epistemology and cognitive science.

248 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1997