Philosophy 150 THY 1st semester 2012-2013 Second Exam

Answer all the following essay problems:

1. Discuss what is known as the Cartesian skeptical hypothesis and show how it is supposed to undermine the possibility of knowledge of an external world. Explain how G.E. Moore responded to the challenge of the Cartesian skeptic. Tell your own appraisal of the issues involved in this topic. 2. Barry Stroud claims that skepticism is the inevitable outcome of trying to understand human knowledge in a certain way. He seems to be saying the following: How can one prove that knowledge, in general, is possible without assuming that there already exists some prior kinds of knowledge? No one can do that for that is an impossible project! Clarify the nature of this epistemological project and why, according to Stroud, it is bound to fail. Do you find Strouds account persuasive? 3. For Hilary Putnam, to suppose that we are possibly brains-in-vat is a self-refuting hypothesis. Why is it so ? Would you consider the argument of Putnam as a conclusive refutation of the skeptics position regarding the impossibility of external world knowledge? Defend your answer. 4. Explain in your own words what Fred Dretske meant by his view that if you cant know it, then you cant believe it either. Show why , as Dretske argued , his view should convince us to abandon any skepticism about the possibility of perceptual knowledge. Do you agree with Dretske? Defend your answer.

5. Based on Edmund Gettiers illustrative examples, in what sense the traditional JTB conception of knowledge is said to be inadequate ? Specifically, wherein lies the inadequacy? 6. Explain and evaluate Alvin Goldmans reliabilist account of justified belief. What makes his account a form of externalist theory of epistemic justification? Discuss and appraise the objections of Richard Foley, Lawrence Bonjour and Keith Lehrer to reliabilism . With whom do you side on the internalism and externalism debate? Reason your views. 7. According to W.V.O. Quine, what is naturalized epistemology and how is it supposed to be done or pursued as a research program? Briefly, why does Jaegwon Kim object to the Quinean project of naturalizing epistemology? Do you think there is a way of resolving the conflict between the two. Reason your answer. 8. Present your understanding of the program of virtue epistemology. Discuss briefly how it is supposed to differ from Cartesian inspired, traditional epistemology and naturalized epistemology. Show in what sense the notion of intellectual virtues, and vices can supposedly give us a much better theoretical understanding of epistemic goods.

Please submit you essays on or before 4:00 p.m. of Monday, 15 October 2012 @ FC 3017 or at the office of the Philosophy Department Secretary.