Epistemology - 1017 Words

My Own Epistemology: In the Making Am I living in an illusion? What will happen to me after I die? Is there really such thing as a God? I have struggled with these three questions throughout my entire life, and I was very intrigued to discover that all of these questions were addressed throughout the many different readings in Libs 201: Exploring the Unknown. Author Chris Frith dissects the idea that the mental world is an illusion created by the brain in his book Making Up The Mind. Antony Flew, a former atheist, argues that there is such thing as a God or an â€Å"agent† and backs up his theory using science. Emile Durkheim writes about the foundation of religious thought in primitive people thousands of years ago, and addresses the†¦show more content†¦Whether it is Emile Durkheim discussing the foundation of religious thought in primitive people thousands of years ago, or Michael Shermer writing about how the human brain constructs beliefs and reinforces them as truths, I am constantly absorbing br illiant new ideas and perspectives regarding the foundation of philosophical and religious thought in humans. I have come to the conclusion that my epistemology is still in the making, and my sponge of a brain has not yet absorbed enough experience and knowledge for me to feel confident in my own thoughts and beliefs at this point in my life. I believe that with every new book or article that I read, I feel my mind expanding more and more, and maybe one day I will finally be able to say â€Å"There really is a God out there, and I know this because†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . There is also a chance that I’ll discover that I am more like Shermer and I will come to the conclusion that our brain simply creates the idea of a God due to the process of patternicity, the tendency to find meaningful patterns in both meaningful and meaningless data. For now, all I can do is retain as many different concepts and philosophies as I can in order to bring me one step closer to discovering my ownShow M oreRelatedEpistemology And Belief Of Epistemology Essay1128 Words   |  5 Pagesreferring to epistemology. I will be answering questions such as, â€Å"What is knowledge† and â€Å"What is belief†. I will also answer other questions related to the epistemology of knowledge and beliefs. Before we get into knowledge and beliefs, we must define what epistemology is and why epistemology is important. What is epistemology? The word itself derives from two Greek words: â€Å"Episteme† meaning knowledge and understanding and â€Å"Logia† meaning science of study. In philosophy, epistemology is the studyRead MoreEpistemology Paper1080 Words   |  5 PagesEpistemology Schools Paper Arika Boyd PHL/215 Dixie Hoyt 09/15/09 Epistemology or theory of knowledge is a branch of philosophy related to the scope and nature of knowledge. The subject focuses on examining the nature of knowledge, and how it relates to beliefs, justification, and truth. Epistemology contract with the means of production of knowledge, as well as skepticism about different knowledge claims. The question is what does people Know? The core of this questions andRead MoreDescartes Epistemology1696 Words   |  7 PagesEpistemology ------------------------------------------------- Carefully explain Descartes’ cogito and his attempt to build his knowledge structure from the ground up. (Be as succinct as possible.) Does Descartes succeed or fail in that attempt? Justify your answer in full. Descartes’ Epistemology This essay attempts to explain Descartes’ epistemology of his knowledge, his â€Å"Cogito, Ergo Sum† concept (found in the Meditations), and why he used it [the cogito concept] as a foundation when buildingRead MoreEpistemology Is A Better Choice Over Traditional Epistemology1479 Words   |  6 PagesEpistemology can be split into two areas: one being traditional epistemology and the other being naturalized epistemology. The distinction between the two forms of epistemology is that traditional epistemologists accept what they think they know whereas natural epistemologists put what they think they know to empirical tests. The connotation of ‘empirical’ in this context refers to the methodologies of natural science; specifically, putting theories that we believe to know to scientific experimentationRead MoreNaturalized Epistemology Essays1621 Words   |  7 PagesEpistemology can be divided into two parts: one being traditional epistemology and the other b eing naturalized epistemology. The difference between the two is that traditionalists simply accept what they think they know whereas naturalists put what they think they know to empirical tests. When I say empirical, I mean methodologies of the natural science. In other words meaning putting things we think we know to practical tests to find out if it is true, scientifically. Or to even better understandRead MoreEpistemology, By Robert Nozick918 Words   |  4 PagesEpistemology is the theory behind knowledge, based of methods, validity, and scope, which is justified by beliefs and opinions. Epistemology is the greek word for knowledge that means why we should hold beliefs. Knowledge is belief that is somewhat of a fact believed without a connection but it must be believable or it will not be considered knowledge. Many people believe that knowledge is based off of only beliefs, but it’s also based off of truth too. You have to combine truth and beliefs intoRead MoreDisc uss Epistemology And Its Relevance1522 Words   |  7 PagesDiscuss epistemology and its relevance to intelligence analysis. Select at least two principal â€Å"ways of knowing,† and describe their respective characteristics/attributes, strengths, weaknesses, and potential for improving the quality of intelligence analysis. Merriam-Webster defines epistemology as â€Å"the study of the nature, origin, and limits of human knowledge.† As applied to intelligence, the application of epistemology becomes highly important when analysts are making judgements while assessingRead MoreA Review Of Protagoras Epistemology1399 Words   |  6 PagesPhillips PHIL1050 November 19th, 2016 A Review of Protagoras’ Epistemology in the Theaetetus Plato’s Theaetetus is the transcription of a dialogue between Socrates and a philosophical prodigy: the 15 year old Theaetetus. Socrates, on the eve of his trial and eventual execution, talks with Theaetetus after being told of their resemblance by mathematician Theodorus of Cyrene. Socrates’ purpose in the dialogue becomes a discussion of epistemology, or the theory of knowledge and how it is obtained. SocratesRead MoreEssay on A Study of Epistemology890 Words   |  4 PagesA Study of Epistemology In the sixth century B.C., Homer alludes to a separation of knowledge between the mortals and the gods. He speaks of both gods and human beings as â€Å"knowing things†- creatures of knowledge. However, there is a â€Å"great difference in the quality and the scope of the knowledge available to the two groups† (Everson, Pg.12). For the mortal human being the contrast between â€Å"divine and human knowledge†, paired with possible deception by the gods, has led him to question theRead MoreEpistemology and Knowledge Essay1739 Words   |  7 PagesFinal Paper Roni Daniel December 10, 2012 Dr. Kathy Downey University of Phoenix PHL/716 Epistemology, or the study of knowledge, requires the scholar analyze the what, how, and why’s of their own knowledge. Asking these questions of themselves is essentially applying that which they have learned. There are different origins of knowledge as conceptualized by philosophers, educators, and scientists. Early philosophers defined knowledge as â€Å"justified true belief† (Cooper, pg. 23). In order