Study Questions for 523, 1^st Midterm

• Outline a correspondence account of truth using the concept of reference. Explain roughly what the term 'reference' means, and describe one or two attempted explanations of reference. Is it necessary to know an accurate description of something (someone) in order to refer to it (him or her)? Explain, using the case of referring to Aristotle.



• Is every grammatically correct, meaningful English sentence either true or false? Discuss some difficult cases.



• Outline a coherence account of truth, and contrast it with a correspondence account. What role does a mind-independent reality play in this view? What does 'coherence' mean, and what is supposed to cohere with what on this view? Does coherence imply consistency? Can consistency be explained without a correspondence theory of truth? What is problematic about saying that the truth must cohere with experience?



• Explain the following terms and concepts: TJB account of knowledge, fallabilism, defeasable justification, inductive justification, inferential justification, skepticism, infinite regress, internalism, externalism, epistemic coherentism, foundationalism, phenomenalism.



• Inferential justification seems to lead to an infinite regress to justifications, justifications of justifications, etc. Describe and compare 2 or 3 strategies for avoiding such a regress.



• Describe and evaluate several difficulties with (a) epistemic foundationalism and (b) epistemic coherentism.



• Explain Plato's theory of the Forms, including participation, the relation between the Forms and the physical world, how the Forms are known, etc. (this is not an invitation to give a detailed account of the allegory of the cave or of the divided line). who is able to obtain knowledge of the Forms. Does the answer to that question have any significance for social theory? Explain. Why does Plato reject the view that knowledge is definition and explanation accompanying and added to true opinion? (p. 63)



• Outline Mao's theory of knowledge, including the concepts of practice, perceptual knowledge, logical or theoretical knowledge, appearance vs. "inner" relationships, the influence of practice on theory and of theory on practice, the alleged errs of empiricism and rationalism. Explain what practice is and describe the role that Mao claims it has in knowledge. Who is able to obtain knowledge? Does the answer to that question have an significance for social theory?



• Oscar speaks only English and Martha speaks only French. Can they share any beliefs? Explain what the issue is here and discuss alternative answers.



• What according to Devitt is a deflationary view of truth? Why is Devitt not satisfied with such a view himself? Give an example of some philosophical argument that requires a non-deflationary view of truth.



• Explain what an epistemic notion of truth is, and describe an argument that epistemic notions of truth must be incorrect. Are unknowable truths possible?



• Describe the aims of Sextus' skepticism. How are these different from the aims of later skeptics? Outline and evaluate his critique of knowledge via the senses. Describe the problem of the criterion and Sextus' argument that it leads to a circular argument. Describe several modern responses to this argument, for example, foundationalism, or coherentism, and evaluate the strength of these responses.