The field of philosophy offers many different theories or points of view on the nature of

these categories of reality, and on the relationships between them.

Natural Mental Spiritual

Some versions of

Materialism or Naturalism

• Some philosophies believe that only physical objects or matter and energy are real; that even mental creations are simply detectable and measurable changes in the brain and body; and, that spiritual things are merely another type of construction by the mind.

Physical Matter and Energy

Some versions of

Idealism

• Some philosophies believe that all reality exists only in our minds; the material and spiritual worlds have no objective or independent existence or reality beyond our mental ideas, feelings, or images about them.

Mental Constructs

Some versions of

Spiritualism

• Some philosophies believe physical, mental, and spiritual things are all very real; but, they do not exist in separate categories; rather, they are interactive elements within a single integrated reality.

Physical Mental Spiritual

Some versions of

Skepticism

• Some philosophies believe that we cannot know what exists or is real; our primary means of knowing (senses, minds, hearts) are simply too deceptive, too confused, and too unreliable to allow for any certainty about existence or reality.

? ? ? ? ?

Some versions of

Social Constructionism

• Some philosophies believe that, in the final analysis, what really exists is whatever the most influential and powerful groups in society say really exists.

Social Constructs

Are These

Social Constructs?

• Gender Roles?

• Race?

• California Mission History?

• Evolution?

• Global Warming?

• Islamic Extremism

Some versions of

Existentialism

• Some philosophies believe that the issue of ultimate existence is irrelevant; all that really matters is what each person believes exists, and how those beliefs affect his or her personal life.

Personal Construction

So, is Existence or Reality…

• Only Physical Matter? (Materialism)

• All Mental Constructs? (Idealism)

• An Integrated Physical/Mental/Spiritual Whole? (Spiritualism)

• Unknowable? (Skepticism)

• Defined by Each Society’s Elite? (Social Constructionism)

• Whatever Each Individual Thinks It Is? (Existentialism)

• Something Else Entirely?

Epistemology

What is knowledge?

and

How do we know

things?

“Knowledge”

• We use the word all the time.

• We seem to have a shared understanding of what it means.

• Yet, it is difficult to actually define it.

How do you think about “knowledge”?

“Knowledge” could be considered something

In the Mind

“Knowledge” could be considered

Multidimensional and Complicated

“Knowledge” could be considered

Abstract and Mysterious

“Knowledge” could be considered

Confusing

Knowledge is all these things…

But,

We can try to simplify it !

Many Philosophers Say…

Knowledge is

“Justified True Beliefs”

or

JTB

Knowledge is

Things you believe

that you can justify

that are true

3 Alternative Views of “Truth”

• Truth is Objective

• Truth is Subjective

• Truth is Relative– relative to some system of justification– relative to some social group

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.

Examples of Knowledge Statements

1. There are 30 students enrolled in HCOM 301-01.

2. Bill Clinton was the first president of the United States.

3. God is present in all living things.

4. Acting with kindness will increase the chances that a person will receive kindness from others.

5. Men make better leaders than women.

6. The air we breathe is 78% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, and 1.05% other gases.

7. Abortion is murder.

8. In 1531, on a hilltop outside Mexico City, Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to farmer Juan Diego.

9. The U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq was good for the Iraqi people.

10. Some 150,000 to 200,000 years ago, the human species evolved into being from lower life forms.

• Clearly, these are all expressed beliefs or knowledge statements

• But, how do we determine if they are “true”?

• What methods are available to justify or support, or to disprove, the truthfulness of expressed beliefs or knowledge statements?

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”

Essentially, are different ways of searching for understanding and truth,

And, that use different methods or systems for justifying or supporting their claims to knowledge (i.e., different epistemologies)

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• Social Constructionism• Occultism• Skepticism

Assignment on 2-6