Homework Feedback1) Are there any particular areas you feel

confused about?2) How have you begun to plan this 15 mark

question?: Is the Tripartite account of knowledge successful in offering a definition of knowledge?

Reliabilism (Process Reliabilism)

Learning objectives:1) To be able to explain the

Reliabilist definition of knowledge.

2) To analyse some strengths and weaknesses of Reliabilism.

3) To analyse how Reliabilism copes with Gettier counter examples (homework).

Reliabilism•Consider these two cases:1) You read on www.conspiracies4ever.com that

the Prime Minister is a reptile.2) You read in the Guardian that foxes are

mostly nocturnal.Which can you be said to know and why?Reliabilism: Knowledge is a true belief that

is produced by a reliable process.Reliabilism claims that you know that P if:1. P is true;2. You believe that p; 3. Your belief is caused by a reliable cognitive

process.

1) On a scale of 1-10 rank how reliable you think each process below is for arriving at the belief (1 is not reliable and 10 is reliable).

2) Which of the cases would you class as examples of knowing?

3) Do your answers to question 1 correlate to your answers to question 2?

(a) Adding 6 and 4 in your head to make 10.(b) Multiplying 246 and 327 in your head to give 80,442.(c) Eating hallucinogenic mushrooms and believing the Moon is a

monster.(d) Believing that you will have children because of the pattern of

lines on your hand.(e) Seeing your friend up close and believing he is back from his

holiday.(f) Remembering what you ate for breakfast on your third birthday.(g) Remembering what you ate for breakfast this morning.(h) Seeing the hands on an old church clock point to 12 and

believing it is 12 o’clock.(i) Guessing (correctly) that Arsenal would beat Liverpool 3-1.

What is a reliable cognitive process?

A reliable cognitive process is one that produces a high percentage of true beliefs. Examples include perception, memory and

testimony.

ReliabilismK = T+B+R What’s

different?

Reliabilism is not saying that knowledge is a justified, true belief that has been formed by a reliable process, it is saying that knowledge

is a true belief that has been formed by a reliable process.

Reliable Process or Justification: which is best?

Use pp. 86-89 to fill in this table.

Strengths of Reliabilism Weaknesses of Reliabilism

ExtensionWhich account of knowledge do you find more convincing: The JTB account or Reliabilism?

Homework•Complete the table if you have not finished

it.•Read pp.90-92 and answer these two

questions:1) How does Reliabilism fare with Gettier

counter examples?2) How does Reliabilism fare with fake-barn

cases?3) Answer: Outline and Explain one criticism

of Reliabilism (5 marks).

At this stage, which definition of knowledge do you think is best?JTB=KITB=KJTB + N =KRTB=K

Exam practiceWhat is Reliabilism? (2 marks)