Introduction

This chapter discusses the verb to know, like its substantive knowledge, has always and understandably played a major role in philosophical speculation, and philosophers have spent much time in debating its proper application. In ordinary conversation people use the verb to know in a number of different ways. People talk, for instance, of knowing Jones, of knowing French, of knowing what to do, of knowing what it means, of knowing the answer, of knowing how to swim and of knowing that the earth is round. People usage of know does not normally involve them in any serious perplexities. People apply it correctly in any situation calling, or appearing to call, for its employment although arguments may of course develop as to whether they really know what they claim to know or really knew what they said they knew. The chapter discusses the difference between knowing and believing and some further related problems.