Table Of ContentPrentice Hall
Foundations of Philosophy Series
Roderick M. Chisholm Theories of Knowledge, 3/E
William Dray Philosophy of History, 2/E
Joel Feinberg Social Philosophy
William K. Frankena Ethics, 2/E
Martin P. Golding Philosophy of Law
Carl Hempel Philosophy of Natural Science
John H. Hick Philosophy of Religion, 4/E
Dale Jacquette Philosophy of Mind
Stephen Nathanson Economic Justice
Wesley C. Salmon Logic, 3/E
Richard Taylor Metaphysics, 4/E
Tom L. Beauchamp, Editor
Monroe Beardsley and Elizabeth Beardsley, Founding Editors
EPISTEMOLOGY
Richard Feldman
University of Rochester
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
iii
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Feldman, Richard
Epistemology / Richard Feldman.
p. cm. — (Prentice-Hall foundations of philosophy series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-13-341645-3
1. Knowledge, Theory of. I. Title. II. Series.
BD161.F385 2003
121—dc21
2002042533
VP, Editorial Director: Charlyce Jones Owen
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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
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Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8
ISBN 0-13-341L45-3
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Contents
CHAPTER ONE Epistemological Questions 1
The Standard View 2
Developing The Standard View 4
Challenges to The Standard View 5
CHAPTER TWO The Traditional Analysis of Knowledge 8
Kinds of Knowledge 8
Knowledge and True Belief 12
The Traditional Analysis of Knowledge 15
Real Knowledge and Apparent Knowledge 22
Conclusion 23
CHAPTER THREE Modifying The Traditional Analysis of Knowledge. 25
An Objection to The Traditional Analysis 25
Defending The Traditional Analysis 28
Modifying The Traditional Analysis 30
Conclusion 37
CHAPTER FOUR Evidentialist Theories of Knowledge and Justification 39
Evidentialism 41
The Infinite Regress Argument 49
Cartesian Foundationalism 52
VI Contents
Coherentism 60
Modest Foundationalism 70
CHAPTER FIVE Nonevidentialist Theories of Knowledge and Justification 81
The Causal Theory 81
Truth Tracking 86
Reliabilism 90
Proper Function 99
Conclusions 105
CHAPTER SIX Skepticism (I) 108
Varieties of Skepticism 109
What Skeptics Claim 111
Four Arguments for Skepticism 114
Responding to Skepticism 119
Interim Conclusion 128
CHAPTER SEVEN Skepticism (II) 130
The Problem of Induction 130
Ordinary-Standards Skepticism and Best Explanations 141
Appendix: Contextualism 152
CHAPTER EIGHT Epistemology and Science 157
Evidence of Human Irrationality 157
Naturalistic Epistemology 166
Conclusion 175
CHAPTER NINE Epistemological Relativism 177
Uncontroversial Forms of Relativism 177
Serious Relativism 178
Reasonable Disagreements 182
Contusion 188
CHAPTER TEN Conclusion 191
Index 195
Foundations
of Philosophy
Many of the problems of philosophy are of such broad relevance to human
concerns, and so complex in their ramifications, that they are, in one form or
another, perennially present. Though in the course of time they yield in part
to philosophical inquiry, they may need to be rethought by each age in the
light of its broader scientific knowledge and deepened ethical and religious
experience. Better solutions are found by more refined and rigorous methods.
Thus, one who approaches the study of philosophy in the hope of under
standing the best of what it affords will look for both fundamental issues and
contemporary achievements.
Written by a group of distinguished philosophers, the Foundations of Philos
ophy Series aims to exhibit some of the main problems in the various fields of phi
losophy as they stand at the present stage of philosophical history.
While certain fields are likely to be represented in most introductory courses
in philosophy, college classes differ widely in emphasis, in method of instruc
tion, and in rate of progress. Every instructor needs freedom to change his
course as his own philosophical interests, the size and make-up of his classes, and
the needs of his students vary from year to year. The volumes in the Founda
tions of Philosophy Series—each complete in itself, but complementing the
others—offer a new flexibility to the instructor, who can create his own textbook
by combining several volumes as he wishes, and can choose different combi
nations at different times. Those volumes that are not used in an introductory
course will be found valuable, along with other texts or collections of readings,
for the more specialized upper-level courses.
Tom L. Beauchamp, Editor
Elizabeth Beardsley and Monroe Beardsley, Founding Editors
vii
Acknowledgments
I wish to express my indebtedness to a great many people with whom I have dis
cussed epistemological issues. I first learned about epistemology when I sat in
on the lectures in an epistemology course taught by my brother, Fred Feldman.
That course initiated what has become an enduring interest and also taught me
much of what I know about how to do philosophy. My interest and under
standing were greatly enhanced by a series of seminars with Herbert Heidel-
berger and Roderick Chisholm. I would not have been able to write this book
were it not for what I have learned from countless discussions of philosophy with
John Bennett, David Braun, Stewart Cohen, Jonathan Vogel, Ed Wierenga, and
especially Earl Conee. Todd Long, Dan Mittag, Nathan Nobis, Jim Pryor, Bruce
Russell, Harvey Siegel, and Matthias Steup all gave me helpful comments on
some or all of the manuscript. Many students, who endured courses making use
of preliminary drafts, have provided useful guidance.
And thanks also to Andrea, for helping me to persevere, and for everything
else as well.
ix
