This anthology focuses on three areas in the theory of knowledge: epistemic justification; analyses of knowledge and scepticism; and recent developments in epistemology. Each of the three sections includes a brief introduction to the readings, a series of study questions, and a list of suggested readings. Section 1 deals with coherentism, foundationalism, reliabilism, and includes articles by Chisholm, BonJour, Audi, Goldman, and Fumerton. Section 2 deals with the analysis of knowledge and Gettier problems, and a variety of forms and responses to scepticism; it includes articles by Gettier, Conee, Feldman, Putnam, Nagel, and Stroud. Section 3 introduces the reader to recent developments in naturalized, feminist, and social epistemology, and includes articles by Quine, Almeder, Putnam, Anderson, Harding, Longino, Hardwig, Rorty, and Kitcher.
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements
Preface
Section 1: Epistemic Justification
Introductory Remarks
- The Myth of the Given
Roderick Chisholm - Can Empirical Knowledge Have a Foundation?
Laurence BonJour - The Coherence Theory of Empirical Knowledge
Laurence BonJour - The Foundationalism-Coherentism Controversy
Robert Audi - What is Justified Belief?
Alvin Goldman - The Internalism/Externalism Controversy
Richard Fumerton
Study Questions
Additional Readings
Section 2: Knowledge and Scepticism
Introductory Remarks
- Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?
Edmund Gettier - Why Solve the Gettier Problem?
Earl Conee - An Alleged Defect in Gettier Counter-Examples
Richard Feldman - Brains in a Vat
Hilary Putnam - Knowledge
Thomas Nagel - Skepticism and the Possibility of Knowledge
Barry Stroud
Study Questions
Additional Readings
Section 3: New Developments in Epistemology
Introductory Remarks
- Epistemology Naturalized
W.V. Quine - On Naturalizing Epistemology
Robert Almeder - Why Reason Can’t Be Naturalized
Hilary Putnam - Feminist Epistemology
Elizabeth Anderson - Rethinking Standpoint Epistemology
Sandra Harding - Subjects, Power, and Knowledge
Helen Longino - The Role of Trust in Knowledge
John Hardwig - Solidarity or Objectivity?
Richard Rorty - Contrasting Conceptions of Social Epistemology
Philip Kitcher
Study Questions
Additional Readings
About the Author :
K. Brad Wray is a Professor of Philosophy at the State University of New York, Oswego. He is the author of numerous articles on social epistemology, the realism/anti-realism debate in philosophy of science, and the philosophy of Thomas Kuhn. Wray's book, Kuhn's Evolutionary Social Epistemology, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2011.
Review :
“Knowledge and Inquiry covers the most important topics in contemporary epistemology, including some topics that are typically neglected in undergraduate-level epistemology anthologies (e.g. social epistemology). The selections are well-chosen for their accessibility as well as their importance. This is a wonderful textbook for anyone teaching an undergraduate course in contemporary epistemology!” — Ram Neta, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
“This anthology captures the key developments in contemporary epistemology—from theories of justification and Gettier problems, to naturalized epistemology and feminist epistemology. Sections are well-organized, with well-chosen readings set in relation to each other to encourage epistemological dialogue. An excellent text!” — Heidi Grasswick, Middlebury College
