Epistemology: 50 Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Thought Experiments: 50 Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Thought Experiments (Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Thought Experiments in Philosophy)

In this new kind of entrée to contemporary epistemology, Kevin McCain presents fifty of the field’s most important puzzles, paradoxes, and thought experiments. Assuming no familiarity with epistemology from the reader, McCain titles each case with a memorable name, describes the details of the case, explains the issue(s) to which the case is relevant, and assesses its significance. McCain also briefly reviews the key responses to the case that have been put forward, and provides a helpful list of suggested readings on the topic. Each entry is accessible, succinct, and self-contained. __Epistemology: 50 Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Thought Experiments__ is a fantastic learning tool as well as a handy resource for anyone interested in epistemological issues. Key Features: * Though concise overall, offers broad coverage of the key areas of epistemology. * Describes each imaginative case directly and in a memorable way, making the cases accessible and easy to remember. * Provides a list of Suggested Readings for each case, divided into General Overviews, Seminal Presentations, and Other Important Discussions. Collects 50 key puzzles, paradoxes, and thought experiments in contemporary epistemology and describes them, explains the issue(s) to which the case is relevant, briefly overviews the key responses to the case, and provides a list of suggested readings. Each entry is accessible, succinct, and self-contained. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series Page 3 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Table of Contents 6 Preface 10 Part I: Nature of Knowledge 12 General Background: The Traditional Account of Knowledge 12 1 Promotions and Traveling Friends (The Gettier Problem) 17 2 A Grisly Discovery (Causal Theory of Knowledge) 23 3 A Strange County (Fake Barns) 27 4 Red Barns and Blue Façades (Kripke’s Barn) 32 5 The Tourist (Credit View of Knowledge) 36 6 A Horrible Library (Kvanvig’s Comanche Case) 40 7 The Quiz Show (Knowledge without Belief ) 44 8 Trip to the Zoo (Dretske’s Zebra/Disguised Mule) 48 9 Saul the Superstitious Lawyer (Knowledge and Basing) 53 10 Going to the Bank (Contextualism) 59 Part II: Limits of Knowledge 64 General Background: Skepticism 64 11 Descartes’ Demon (Cartesian/External World Skepticism) 66 12 Descartes’ Dream (Dreaming Skepticism) 72 13 Is the Past Real? (Russell’s Five Minutes Old Universe) 77 14 Descartes’ Apple Sorting Problem (The Problem of the Criterion) 82 15 You’re Debased! (The Debasing Demon) 87 16 Winning the Lottery (Lottery Skepticism) 91 17 You Only Believe That Because... (Contingency of Belief ) 96 18 Hot or Cold? (Anti-Luminosity) 101 19 A Cut-Rate Eye Exam (Bootstrapping/Easy Knowledge) 105 20 Off to the Races! (Disjunction Objection to IBE) 110 21 To Transform or Not to Transform? (Transformative Experience) 115 22 Mary Sees an Apple (Knowledge Argument against Physicalism) 120 Part III: Justification 124 General Background: The Nature of Justification 124 23 The Unfortunate Twin (New Evil Demon Problem) 131 24 Psychic Powers (Clairvoyance Cases) 136 25 Avocados Are Healthy, But I Forgot Why (Forgotten Evidence) 140 26 The Sleepy Student (Problem of Stored Beliefs) 145 27 A Visitor from the Swamp (Swampman Objection to Proper Functionalism) 150 28 Missing the Show (Unpossessed Evidence) 155 29 A Pair of Hens (Speckled Hen Problem) 159 30 Birdwatching (Problem of Background Beliefs; Expert/Novice) 164 31 Gold Rush (Cognitive Penetration) 169 32 Armchair Quarterback (Isolation/Input Objection to Coherentism) 173 Part IV: Social Epistemology 178 General Background: Social Epistemology 178 33 The Unbelieving Teacher (Transmission View of Testimony—Necessity) 180 34 A Conspiracy (Transmission View of Testimony— Sufficiency) 185 35 He Can’t Possibly Know (Epistemic Injustice— Testimonial) 189 36 What’s Harassment? (Epistemic Injustice— Hermeneutical) 193 37 Expecting a Bad Tip (Moral Encroachment) 197 38 Splitting the Check (Disagreement—In Favor of Equal Weight) 202 39 Bad Math (Disagreement—Against Equal Weight) 207 40 Majority Rules? (Group Belief Aggregation) 211 Part V: Puzzles and Paradoxes 216 General Background: Puzzles and Paradoxes 216 41 A Gruesome Riddle (New Riddle of Induction/Grue) 218 42 Ravens Paradox 223 43 The Dogmatism Puzzle 228 44 Sleeping Beauty 233 45 The Surprise Quiz Paradox 238 46 Knowability Paradox 242 47 Moore’s Paradox 246 48 Lottery Paradox 250 49 Preface Paradox 255 50 The Proof Paradox 259 50,puzzles;,paradoxes;,thought,experiments;,nature,of,knowledge;,limits,of,knowledge;,skepticism;,nature,of,justification;,social,epistemology 50 puzzles,paradoxes,thought experiments,nature of knowledge,limits of knowledge,skepticism,nature of justification,social epistemology "Imaginative cases, or what might be called puzzles, paradoxes, and other thought experiments, play a central role in epistemology (as in other areas of philosophy). A significant component of understanding epistemological debates and theories is appreciating various cases and what they are thought to show. This volume collects 50 of the most important puzzles, paradoxes, and thought experiments in contemporary epistemology and describes their significance. The volume gives each case a memorable name, describes the details of the case, explains the issue(s) to which the case is relevant, briefly overviews the key responses to the case that have been put forward, and provides a list of suggested readings on the topic. Each entry is accessible, succinct, and self-contained. Epistemology: 50 Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Thought Experiments is a fantastic teaching tool as well as a handy resource for anyone interested in epistemological issues. Key Features: Though concise overall, offers broad coverage of the key areas of epistemology. Describes each imaginative case directly and in a memorable way, making the cases accessible and easy to remember. Provides a list of Suggested Readings for each case, divided into General Overviews, Seminal Presentations, and Other Important Discussions"-- Provided by publisher