ABSTRACT

What is Knowledge? Where does it come from? Can we know anything at all? This lucid and engaging introduction grapples with these central questions in the theory of knowledge, offering a clear, non-partisan view of the main themes of epistemology including recent developments such as virtue epistemology and contextualism.

Duncan Pritchard discusses traditional issues and contemporary ideas in thirteen easily digestible sections, including:

  • the value of knowledge
  • the structure of knowledge
  • virtues and faculties
  • perception
  • testimony and memory
  • induction
  • scepticism.

What is this thing called Knowledge? contains many helpful student-friendly features including study questions, annotated further reading, a glossary and a guide to web resources. Clear and interesting examples are used throughout.  This is an ideal first textbook in the theory of knowledge for undergraduates taking a first course in philosophy.

part |2 pages

Part I What is knowledge?

chapter 1|8 pages

SOME PRELIMINARIES

chapter 2|10 pages

THE VALUE OF KNOWLEDGE

chapter 3|12 pages

Defining knowledge

chapter 4|12 pages

THE STRUCTURE OF KNOWLEDGE

chapter 5|16 pages

RATIONALITY

chapter 6|14 pages

VIRTUES AND FACULTIES

part |2 pages

Part II Where does knowledge come from?

chapter 7|12 pages

PERCEPTION

chapter 8|12 pages

TESTIMONY AND MEMORY

chapter 9|12 pages

A PRIORITY AND INFERENCE

chapter 10|12 pages

THE PROBLEM OF INDUCTION

part |2 pages

Part III Do we know anything at all?

chapter 11|10 pages

SCEPTICISM ABOUT OTHER MINDS

chapter 12|16 pages

RADICAL SCEPTICISM

chapter 13|10 pages

TRUTH AND OBJECTIVITY