Knowledge

by Cristina Chimisso

Throughout the history of philosophy, knowledge has been a central problem; philosophers have dedicated numberless volumes and endless discussions to the problem of knowledge. The theory of knowledge is one of the oldest branches of philosophy. It is often called epistemology, which, like many philosophical words (including philosophy) derives from the greek. The first part of the word comes from the greek episteme, which means knowledge, and the second part from logos, which means word, discourse and also theory. Epistemology, then, means theory of knowledge. It might be surprising that philosophers have disagreed for so long about knowledge, its nature, its sources, and the way in which we can acquire it. Is knowledge really so controversial? Disagreements about ethical and political issues appear to occur all the time, and most people would recognise the importance of their outcome. Belief in god, and the role of religion in our lives, on which you have reflected in book 2, are hotly debated in many quarters. We cannot escape ethical problems, and views on abortion, as discussed in book 3, are clearly discordant. It is also clear that people have different conceptions of justice and equality, and their role in society, as will be discussed in book 6. But knowledge? Do we really need to discuss what knowledge is, or the correct method to acquire it? Isnt it a straightforward issue: either we know something or we dont? A philosopher once said that the function of philosophy is to make ones life more complicated rather than simpler (canguilhem, 1993 [1977], p. 139). I think he was right in that philosophy makes us realise that what looks simple often is not. Epistemology is no exception. Some of its central questions, such as what do i know? , is there genuine knowledge? And what are the sources of knowledge? May look easy to answer, until you start reflecting on what knowledge really is. When can i say that i know something? If somebody challenges me, will i be able to prove that what i believe is in fact the case? And which proof would be necessary? We often rely on our senses for gathering information. But are they reliable? Most of what we do is based on expectations; i drink because i expect my thirst to be quenched; i expect to see the sun rise in the morning and set in the evening. But can my expectations be rationally justified? These are only a few of the problems that a philosophical reflection on knowledge presents

Genres: Philosophy

196 pages, Unknown Binding