Table Of Content

The Continuum Companion to Epistemology 99778811444411111111004433__FFMM__FFiinnaall__ttxxtt__pprriinntt..iinndddd ii 77//11//22000011 1122::3333::0055 PPMM The Continuum Companions series is a major series of single volume companions to key research fi elds in the humanities aimed at postgraduate students, schol- ars, and libraries. Each companion off ers a comprehensive reference resource giving an overview of key topics, research areas, new directions, and a manage- able guide to beginning or developing research in the fi eld. A distinctive feature of the series is that each companion provides practical guidance on advanced study and research in the fi eld, including research methods and subject-specifi c resources. The Continuum Companion to Aesthetics , edited by Anna Christina Ribeiro The Continuum Companion to Continental Philosophy , edited by John Mullarkey and Beth Lord The Continuum Companion to Ethics , edited by Christian Miller The Continuum Companion to Existentialism , edited by Jack Reynolds, Felicity Joseph, and Ashley Woodward The Continuum Companion to Kant , edited by Gary Banham, Nigel Hems, and Dennis Schulting The Continuum Companion to Locke , edited by S.-J. Savonious-Wroth, Paul Schuurman, and Jonathan Walmsley The Continuum Companion to the Philosophy of Language , edited by Manuel García-Carpintero and Max Kölbel The Continuum Companion to the Philosophy of Mind , edited by James Garvey The Continuum Companion to the Philosophy of Science , edited by Steven French and Juha Saatsi Forthcoming in Philosophy: The Continuum Companion to Berkeley , edited by Bertil Belfrage and Richard Brook The Continuum Companion to Hegel , edited by Allegra de Laurentiis and Jeff rey Edwards The Continuum Companion to Hobbes , edited by S. A. Lloyd The Continuum Companion to Hume , edited by Alan Bailey and Dan O’Brien The Continuum Companion to Leibniz , edited by Brendan Look The Continuum Companion to Metaphysics , edited by Robert Barnard and Neil A. Manson The Continuum Companion to Plato , edited by Gerald A. Press The Continuum Companion to Political Philosophy , edited by Andrew Fiala and Matt Matravers The Continuum Companion to Socrates , edited by John Bussanich and Nicholas D. Smith The Continuum Companion to Spinoza , edited by Wiep van Bunge 99778811444411111111004433__FFMM__FFiinnaall__ttxxtt__pprriinntt..iinndddd iiii 77//11//22000011 1122::3333::0066 PPMM The Continuum Companion to Epistemology Andrew Cullison 99778811444411111111004433__FFMM__FFiinnaall__ttxxtt__pprriinntt..iinndddd iiiiii 77//11//22000011 1122::3333::0066 PPMM Continuum International Publishing Group A Bloomsbury company 50 Bedford Square 80 Maiden Lane London Suite 704 WC1B 3DP New York NY 10038 www.continuumbooks.com © Andrew Cullison and Contributors, 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitt ed in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. E ISBN: 978-1-4411-9689-7 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data The Continuum companion to epistemology / edited by Andrew Cullison. p. cm. – (Continuum companions to philosophy) Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. ISBN 978-1-4411-1104-3 (hardcover : alk. paper) – ISBN 978-1-4411-9689-7 (ebookpdf) – ISBN 978-1-4411-4409-6 (ebookepub) 1. Knowledge, Theory of. I. Cullison, Andrew. II. Title: Companion to epistemology. BD161.C657 2012 121–dc23 2011036467 Typeset by Newgen Imaging Systems Pvt Ltd, Chennai, India Printed and bound in Great Britain 99778811444411111111004433__FFMM__FFiinnaall__ttxxtt__pprriinntt..iinndddd iivv 77//11//22000011 1122::3333::0077 PPMM Contents Contributors vii Introduction Epistemology: A Brief Historical Overview and Some Puzzles about Methodology 1 Andrew Cullison 1 The Nature of Knowledge 18 Earl Conee 2 Foundationalism 37 Daniel Howard-Snyder 3 Coherentism 57 Jonathan Kvanvig 4 Infi nitism 72 Peter D. Klein 5 Evidentialism 92 Richard Feldman and Andrew Cullison 6 Reliabilism 106 Sanford Goldberg 7 Proper Functionalism 124 Kenneth Boyce and Alvin Plantinga 8 Skepticism and Justifi cation 141 Richard Fumerton 9 Epistemic Relativism 161 Jonathan Matheson 10 A Priori Knowledge: The Conceptual Approach 180 Carrie Jenkins 11 Contextualism and Interest-Relative Invariantism 199 E. J. Coff man 12 Formal Epistemology 227 Gregory Wheeler v 99778811444411111111004433__FFMM__FFiinnaall__ttxxtt__pprriinntt..iinndddd vv 77//11//22000011 1122::3333::0077 PPMM Contents 13 Experimental Epistemology 248 James R. Beebe 14 Epistemic Value 270 Dennis Whitcomb 15 The Deep Rationality Theory of Wisdom 288 Sharon Ryan Glossary 301 Research Resources 308 Bibliography 312 Index 329 vi 99778811444411111111004433__FFMM__FFiinnaall__ttxxtt__pprriinntt..iinndddd vvii 77//11//22000011 1122::3333::0077 PPMM Contributors James Beebe (University at Bu ffalo, USA) Kenneth Boyce (University of Notre Dame ) E. J. Coff man (University of Tennessee, USA ) Earl Conee (University of Rochester, USA ) Andrew Cullison (SUNY Fredonia, USA ) Richard Feldman (University of Rochester, USA ) Richard Fumerton (University of Iowa, USA ) Sanford Goldberg (Northwestern University, USA) Daniel Howard-Snyder (Western Washington University, USA) Carrie Jenkins (University of Ntto ingham, UK) Peter Klein (Rutgers University, New Brunswick, USA) Jonathan Kvanvig (Baylor University, USA ) Jon Matheson (University of North Florida ) Alvin Plantinga (University of Notre Dame ) Sharon Ryan (West Virginia University, USA ) Gregory Wheeler (New University of Lisbon, Portugal) Dennis Whitcomb (Western Washington University, USA) vii 99778811444411111111004433__FFMM__FFiinnaall__ttxxtt__pprriinntt..iinndddd vviiii 77//11//22000011 1122::3333::0077 PPMM 99778811444411111111004433__FFMM__FFiinnaall__ttxxtt__pprriinntt..iinndddd vviiiiii 77//11//22000011 1122::3333::0077 PPMM Introduction Epistemology: A Brief Historical Overview and Some Puzzles about Methodology Andrew Cullison Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that deals with questions pertaining to knowledge and related concepts such as justifi cation or reasonable belief. In this chapter, I will sketch some of the standard methods that contemporary epistemologists typically employ to answer these questions. In doing, so I will outline what I will call the Standard Method. I will also sketch some challenges to this method. Epistemology: A Brief Historical Overview E pistemology has experienced a bit of a renaissance within the last fi ft y years, and much of this renaissance can be traced back to Gett ier’s now famous paper showing that knowledge is not justifi ed true belief. Epistemology looked quite diff erent before Gett ier. It was then largely taken for granted that knowledge (if we had any) was justifi ed true belief. If, one thinks that knowledge (if there is any) is justifi ed true belief, then it is very natural to assume that the primary questions in epistemology are: Do we have knowledge? What sorts of things count as evidence or appropriate grounds for knowledge? For example, if you go back to Locke’s A n Essay Concerning Human Understanding—a classic work in Early Modern epistemology—he notes that the purpose of the essay is to “To enquire into the original, certainty, and extent of human Knowledge.” 1 We can see Locke’s infl uence in terms of articulating what epistemology is through the early part of the twentieth century. 2 We can see this infl uence into the mid-twentieth century as well. What’s not as present in the Early Modern works are detailed discussions and debates about how best to analyze knowledge. What we see are questions 1 99778811444411111111004433__IInnttrroo__FFiinnaall__ttxxtt__pprriinntt..iinndddd 11 77//11//22000011 1122::3333::2255 PPMM