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Can Skepticism Be Defended, Perhaps In A Limited Form?

Statistics

  Counts

  Total Pages: 8.17
  Total Words: 2043
  Total Characters: 10670
  Number of Sentences: 150


  Averages

  Words per Sentences: 13.62
  Characters per Words: 5.22


  Readability

  Flesch Reading Ease: 58.68
  Fog Scale Level: 12.22
  Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 8.46  

Can Skepticism Be Defended, Perhaps In A Limited Form?


1. Introduction

This essay centres around what it means to know something is true and also why
it is important to distinguish between what you know and do not or can not know.

The sceptic in challenging the possibility of knowing anything challenges the
basis on which all epistemology is based. It is from this attack on epistemology
that the defence of scepticism is seen.

2. Strong Scepticism

Strong scepticism states that it is not possible to know anything. That is we
cannot have absolute knowledge of anything. This can however immediately have
the reflexive argument turned on it and have the question begged of it: “If it
is not possible to know anything then how is it you know that nothing is
knowable ?”. Strong Scepticism is therefore unable to be defended.

3. A Definition of Knowledge

Knowledge can be said to be information that the brain has received that meets a
certain set of criteria. When someone states that they know something they must
also believe that, that something is so. If they did not believe in it then how
could they take it in as knowledge ?, they would instead be doubtful of it and
look for evidence or justification as to why they should believe it.

Secondly for someone to believe in something they must also believe that it is
true. If they did not believe that it was true then what is mentioned above
would not occur.

So, so far it is decided that knowledge should be true belief. How does one come
to the conclusion that something is true however ?. We seek justification. The
justification really is the most important part of the criteria because without
it one cannot say something is true and therefore cannot say that one believes.

This does however bring up the question of how does something become justified ?,
do we hear it from other people ?, see it on the news ?. The justification of
something really depends on its predictability. If som...

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