1st Edition

Current Controversies in Epistemology

Edited By Ram Neta Copyright 2014
    161 Pages
    by Routledge

    161 Pages
    by Routledge

    Epistemology is one of the oldest, yet still one of the most active, areas of philosophical research today. There currently exists many annotated tomes of primary sources, and a handful of single-authored introductions to the field, but there is no book that captures epistemology’s dynamic growth and lively debates for a student audience. In this volume, eight leading philosophers debate four topics central to recent research in epistemology:

    • The A Priori: C. S. I. Jenkins and Michael Devitt
    • The A Posteriori: Richard Fumerton and Nicholas Silins
    • The Regress of Justification: Declan Smithies and Peter Klein
    • Skepticism: Anthony Brueckner and Ernest Sosa

    Ram Neta’s introduction to the volume, descriptions of each chapter, annotated bibliographies for each controversy, and supplemental guide to further controversies in epistemology (with bibliographies) help provide clearer and richer views of active controversies for all readers.

    Introduction. Ram Neta, Epistemology: Current Controversies I. The A Priori: can we gain justification independently of experience? 1. C.S.I. Jenkins, "What Can We Know A Priori?" 2. Michael Devitt, "We Don’t Learn About the World by Examining Concepts: A Response to Carrie Jenkins" II. The A Posteriori: how does perception justify belief? 3. Richard Fumerton, "How Does Perception Justify Belief?" 4. Nicholas Silins, "Experience Does Justify Belief" III. The Regress of Justification: does justification rest on a foundation? 5. Declan Smithies, "Can Foundationalism Solve the Regress Problem?" 6. Peter Klein, "No Final End in Sight" IV. Skepticism: can we know that we are not completely deceived? 7. Anthony Brueckner, "Skeptical Mystery Tour"  8. Ernest Sosa, "Can the Skeptic Be Refuted?" Supplemental Guide to Further Controversies Index

    Biography

    Ram Neta is professor of philosophy at the Univiersity of North Carolina.

    "This is a wonderful collection of cutting-edge treatments of contemporary topics in epistemology, written by eminent figures in the field. I’ve no doubt that it will be welcomed by both students and researchers alike."

    —Duncan Pritchard, University of Edinburgh

    "The essays in this book give us up-to-date takes on four core areas in epistemology: a priori justification, a posteriori justification, the regress of justification, and skepticism. The essays are clearly written, and the debate format gives readers excellent access to the controversies that define each topic area. Neta's introduction is also excellent, and will be a useful guide for students and scholars alike."

    —John Greco, Saint Louis University