Knowledge is
Things you
believe
that you
can justify
that are
true
Statements
that you
believe
that you can justify within
some system of justification
to the satisfaction of most
people who operate within
that system.
Introducing Epistemology
Well, it shouldn’t surprise us that there are many
alternative and competing methods for determining
the truthfulness of our beliefs or knowledge. That is
why we say that there are multiple “Ways of
Knowing”.
The study of these alternative ways of knowing is called
Epistemology.
Alternative “Ways of Knowing”
Are essentially different methods or systems for
justifying or supporting claims to knowledge
or truth
Alternative Epistemologies
• Some are distinct, and
have nothing in
common with others
• Some are similar to
others, having both
common features and
differences
Some Epistemologies We Will Explore
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Rationalism/Reason/Logic
Empiricism/Experience/Science
Religion/Revelation/Faith
Intuition
Spiritualism
Occultism
Skepticism
The Thinker
by Auguste Rodin
Rationalism
• in its modern sense, rationalism is any view
appealing to reason as a source of knowledge
or justification
• it is a method or a theory in which the
criterion of the truth is not sensory but
intellectual and logical
Rationalism
(clear reasoning)
We already have
considerable
knowledge
in our minds
We use our existing
knowledge to
create new knowledge
by
analyzing, synthesizing,
evaluating, deducing,
inferring
(clear reasoning)
The purest
examples might
be the fields of
Logic and Math
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Innate Ideas/Knowledge
Some rationalists
believe that ideas
or knowledge are
already present
in the human
mind at birth.
• The notion of causality, that all
events have a cause
• Notions of good and evil
• Logical and mathematical truths
• Metaphysical notions concerning
transcendent objects like God or
souls
• Avoidance of hazards (such as
heights or potential sources of
contagious disease)
• Notions of fairness and justice
• Structure of language
Some say “innate knowledge” was put in us by god,
and some simply say it is part of our nature.
A Priori Knowledge
• Knowledge that is selfevident, that requires • All fathers have a child.
no proof or
• 34 + 12 = 46
justification, that
• A is greater than B
needs no experience
B is greater than C
or observation to
Then, A is greater than C
know it is true. Also
• All bachelors are
unmarried.
called “axiomatic”
knowledge.
Common ‘Rational’ Methods
• Analysis: the separation of a whole into its component parts
• Synthesis: the combination of parts or elements so as to form a whole
• Evaluation: to determine the significance, worth, or condition of
something, usually by careful appraisal and study
• Induction: reasoning that moves from specific details and observations
to the more general underlying principles or process that explains them
• Deduction: reasoning typically moves from general truths to specific
conclusions.
• Inference: the act of passing from one proposition, statement, or
judgment considered as true to another whose truth is believed to follow
from that of the former
Let’s practice Rationalism
(Clear, analytical reasoning)
Can you “reason”
your way to
knowledge
on these questions?
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How did St. Anselm and St.Thomas
Aquinas “prove” the existence of God?
• Ontological Argument
• First Cause Argument
• Intelligent Design
Argument
13
Logical Fallacies
For Rationalists,
“logic” is the
fundamental
pathway to
clear reasoning,
and to
knowledge.
“Logical fallacies” are
errors in logical
reasoning or errors in
logical arguments.
There are many, many
such errors in logical
reasoning. Let’s look at
just a small sample.
Logical Fallacies
• Non-Sequitur Fallacy
When a conclusion does
not logically follow
from the foregoing
points.
The exchange student,
Ki-Nam, was very
reserved, so I guess
visiting Korea wouldn’t
be a whole lot of fun.
Logical Fallacies
• Ad Hominem Fallacy
To rebut an argument by
pointing out bad
qualities about the
person making the
argument.
Bill Clinton’s position that
we need to restore
family values in America
is rediculous because
the man has engaged in
serial adultry.
Logical Fallacies
• Appeal to Common
Belief Fallacy
To support an argument
by pointing out that a
large number of people
believe it.
Cries about global
warming are grossly
exaggerated. Just about
everybody I work with
knows that.
Logical Fallacies
• Appeal to
Consequences Fallacy
To support or rebut an
argument by pointing
out the consequences
of it being true or false.
Cries about global
warming are grossly
exaggerated. If they
were true, we would
need to spend billions
of dollars and radically
change our lifestyles.
Logical Fallacies
• False Dilemma Fallacy
Constructing a situation
in which one is asked
(unnecessarily) to
choose between two
bad choices.
Do you support the
American tradition of a
private medical care
industry, or are you one
of those socialists who
supports Obamacare?
Logical Fallacies
• Cause & Effect
Confusion Fallacy
When two things occur
together, to falsely
conclude that one
causes the other.
Parents who have short
tempers often have
children who act out.
Clearly, parents’
temperment affects
how their children
behave.
Logical Fallacies
• Slippery Slope Fallacy
To suggest that if one
thing happens, then
something much, much
worse will likely follow
it.
If we let the government
ban pornography, then
it won’t be long before
they are burning our
books.
Logical Fallacies
• Circular Argument
Fallacy
An argument in which the
conclusion is already
contained in one of the
premises.
The bible says that it is
inerrant.
Whatever the bible says is
true.
Therefore, the bible is
inerrant.
Logical Fallacies
• Straw Man Argument
Fallacy
Framing an opponent’s
arguments in
inaccurate terms that
make them look weak
and silly.
Miguel says that he
opposes a raise for
faculty in these difficult
economic times, but I
don’t think that slashing
faculty salaries is the
right approach.
Logical Fallacies
• Non-Sequitur Fallacy
• Ad Hominem Fallacy
• Appeal to Common Belief
Fallacy
• Appeal to Consequences
Fallacy
• Cause & Effect Confusion
Fallacy
• False Dilemma Fallacy
• Slippery Slope Fallacy
• Circular Argument Fallacy
• Straw Man Argument Fallacy
If we legalize marijuana, it
won’t be long before we
have a society full of heroin
addicts to deal with.
Logical Fallacies
• Non-Sequitur Fallacy
• Ad Hominem Fallacy
• Appeal to Common Belief
Fallacy
• Appeal to Consequences
Fallacy
• Cause & Effect Confusion
Fallacy
• False Dilemma Fallacy
• Slippery Slope Fallacy
• Circular Argument Fallacy
• Straw Man Argument Fallacy
President Obama wants all
US residents to be provided
free education through the
community college level.
Great! Isn’t he the same
one who destroyed our
health care system by
socializing it, too?
Logical Fallacies
• Non-Sequitur Fallacy
• Ad Hominem Fallacy
• Appeal to Common Belief
Fallacy
• Appeal to Consequences
Fallacy
• Cause & Effect Confusion
Fallacy
• False Dilemma Fallacy
• Slippery Slope Fallacy
• Circular Argument Fallacy
• Straw Man Argument Fallacy
In retaliation for Al-Qaeda’s
9-11 attack on the Twin
Towers from its bases in
Afghanistan, the United
States was justified in
invading Iraq.
Logical Fallacies
• Non-Sequitur Fallacy
• Ad Hominem Fallacy
• Appeal to Common Belief
Fallacy
• Appeal to Consequences
Fallacy
• Cause & Effect Confusion
Fallacy
• False Dilemma Fallacy
• Slippery Slope Fallacy
• Circular Argument Fallacy
• Straw Man Argument Fallacy
In Presidential Debates, it’s
a good idea to limit
participation to just the
major party candidates
because the public doesn’t
really know about or care
about the minor party
candidates.
Logical Fallacies
• Non-Sequitur Fallacy
• Ad Hominem Fallacy
• Appeal to Common Belief
Fallacy
• Appeal to Consequences
Fallacy
• Cause & Effect Confusion
Fallacy
• False Dilemma Fallacy
• Slippery Slope Fallacy
• Circular Argument Fallacy
• Straw Man Argument Fallacy
God must exist! If God did
not exist, then all basis for
morality would be lost and
the world would be a
horrible place!
Logical Fallacies
• Non-Sequitur Fallacy
• Ad Hominem Fallacy
• Appeal to Common Belief
Fallacy
• Appeal to Consequences
Fallacy
• Cause & Effect Confusion
Fallacy
• False Dilemma Fallacy
• Slippery Slope Fallacy
• Circular Argument Fallacy
• Straw Man Argument Fallacy
The universe could not
have been created from
nothing, so it must have
been created by an
intelligent life force.
Clear Reasoning has a Priviledged Status
in Our Society
• In the world and in our own society, individuals practice
many, many different ways of knowing and justifying their
beliefs
• However, in our mainstream culture, Rationalism plays a
dominant role in our major institutions:
Government
Courts
Business
Political Elections
Law Enforcement
Medicine
Education
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Multiple Intelligence Types
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Linguistic and verbal intelligence: good with words
Logical intelligence: good with math and logic
Spatial intelligence: good with visual images
Body/movement intelligence: good with activities
Musical intelligence: good with rhythm
Interpersonal intelligence: good with communication
Intrapersonal intelligence: good with self-knowledge
Naturalist intelligence: good with understanding the
natural world
What do the SAT and GRE Test?
Let’s do some clear reasoning
What would be the one best way to
improve the quality of student life on the
CSUMB campus?
36
Let’s do some clear reasoning
Should downloading music be illegal?
No
Artists and their labels make plenty
of money off of concerts, tshirts, etc,
losing a few extra dollars because
someone downloaded a song instead
of buying it will not break them. Odds
are, the people downloading the
music had no intention of ever
buying the CD in the first place. They
downloaded it because it was
available to them, if it wasn't, they
would have never bought it and the
artist would be missing that extra
dollar and a possible new fan.
Yes
A $9.99 purchase from iTunes nets
the artist 0.94 cents. Itunes gets
$3.70 and the record company gets
$5.35. A musician needs to sell
12,399 songs on iTunes a month to
make the wages of a McDonalds
employee. That is .09 cents for each
individual song. Streaming music
instead? Listeners on Spotify would
have to stream a song 4,053,110
times for an artist to earn a salary
equal to minimum wage.
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Rationalism
Questions?