PHIL 111 Lecture Notes - Evil Demon, Early Modern Europe, Episteme

• School: Queen's University
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHIL 111
• Professor: Jon Miller

Document Summary

The word epistemology is a combination of two greek words: episteme and logos. As a whole, epistemology attempts to provide an account of the nature of knowledge. Within the whole, a number of sub-fields address more specific problems involving different knowledge claims: some examples: Candidates include perception, introspection, memory, reason, testimony, etc. Can we be sure that any of them at all are true? (133rc) The philosophers whom we will study do hold that such beliefs are justified. They differ, however, in the justifications that they offer. Credited with inaugurating the so-called modern or early modern period of philosophy. Famous works include the discourse on method and meditations on first philosophy. Descartes deliberately chose the title of this book. Called meditation, there is a built-in emphasis on the first-person singular. Descartes always speaks in these terms; he invites his readers to do the same. Consider the situation of the meditator or inquirer.