Do you really know? Is Knowledge Possible? Skepticism and Fideism. Skepticism sounds like

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1 Do you really know? Important distinctions between words: Is Knowledge Possible? Mr. Ammerman KNOW vs THINK vs BELIEVE Do you know that the world you are in is a dream or real? Do you know you have a soul? Do you know God is real? Or do you simply believe it but don t really know? Skepticism and Fideism df Skepticism - knowledge is not really possible so don t believe anything meaning that you will NEVER EVER REALLY KNOW anything at all. df Fideism - knowledge is also not really possible but you need to believe something so pick But you have to pick something to believe so just pick something and follow it Skepticism sounds like 1. There are so many views. R: There really only 2 views - All is Eternal or Some is Eternal 2. It doesn t matter anyway which view you hold because they are all the same. R: Not in the long term - friends, marriage, afterlife 3. Who is to say which view is right? R: It s not WHO S to say its WHAT S to say - and that is Reason

2 Skepticism sounds like 4. It is all a matter of interpretation. R: True not all interpretations are the same 5. It is all relative. R: True relative to what is actually true 6. I don t know what I believe. R: Well THINK about it! And look at your choices. 7. I ll go with the flow. R: Wait until suffering hits you, then we can talk Sources of Skepticism Sources of Skepticism- Ways in which people claim to know (have knowledge), yet when critically analyzed, these raise major doubts and come short of knowledge. 1.Tradition and Custom 2. Common Sense 3. Intuition 4. Science Tradition and Custom Tradition assumes that what we are most familiar and comfortable with must be true This is what I was taught by my parents. Most people I know think this way or believe this. I have never heard of a belief like that; that is weird/ strange. That is the way we have always done things. Problems with Tradition and Custom 1. Everyone holds to a tradition. How do you know what tradition should be held? Chinese/Japanese/Irish 2. Individually and Culturally, people change in their traditions. This proves that what they once thought was true, they now think is false. Arranged marriages Slavery/Racism Dueling

3 2. Common Sense Common sense assumes that appearance is reality. It looks like the earth is flat therefore the earth is flat. It looks like the Sun rises in the east, therefore the Sun rises in the east. It appears that the color of the ocean is blue, therefore the ocean must be blue. Don t confuse COMMON SENSE when you mean COMMON KNOWLEDGE Problems with Common Sense 1. One s appearance of things are not all the same looking at a cup or mug color of the ocean looking at the solar system 3. Intuition Problems with Intuition Intuition assumes that natural sign is always accompanied by the reality. If something brings pleasure, it must be good. If someone smiles, they are friendly. Beauty means goodness. If someone is attractive, they must be good. Kissing means love. If I have some unnatural experience (inward or outward), it must be a sign. 1. Intuition assumes that there is no evil in the world Used car salesman smiling He (or she) kissed me, so I know they like me 2. There are different interpretations based on intuition Mormonism - Joseph Smith - Burning in the bosom Male vs female communication

4 4. Empiricism/Science Empiricism assumes that knowledge is from data gained from the 5 senses ONLY - taste, touch, sight, smell, hearing I know the table is real because I can see it and feel it. Since I cannot see a soul, they must not exist. Science has disproven God, so he must not exist. The only things that are real are things that can be experienced by my senses or measured physically. Problems with Empiricism/ Science 1. Our senses can be mistaken Have you ever heard things that aren t there? etc. 2. What about abstract ideas/concepts (courage, love, patience)? can you test by your 5 senses the number 3? 3. Which sense gave you the knowledge that all knowledge comes by the 5 senses? 5. Informal fallacies assume that there is no GOOD argument so here are a bunch of fake ones to persuade you Politics - slander/appeal to fear/strawman Advertisements - appeal to pity/appeal to fear Friends - ad populum Science/Religions - begging the question/appeal to fear

5 COMPLEX QUESTION: Asking a question that if answered by the listener, forces the listener to agree to something he or she may not be willing. This is a loaded question. Ex So when are you going to tell your mom that you cheated on the test last week? APPEAL TO FEAR: Use of threat to persuade. It succeeds where one fears losing a secondary good over a primary good. Ex Commercials that say Buy this or you will be sick and unhealthy Ex Dude, why did you steal my CD? AD HOMINEM: Speaking against the person rather than against what the person said. Also known as a personal attack and used because we don t have a counter-argument. Ex Political campaigns - talking about tax reform yet focus on whether they clean their front yard Ex Don t let Becky tell you gelato is better than ice cream, she s a vegan. APPEAL TO PITY: Try to convince the listener by abusing his/her compassion. Ex You should do this, after all I am your mother and I have done so much for you over the years. Ex If you really loved me you would do

6 HASTY GENERALIZATION: Making a general statement based on insufficient observation. Often involves stereotyping. Ex I had a bad date last night therefore all men are scum. Ex I liked the last Chinese restaurant I went to, so I will like every Chinese restaurant in the world. BEGGING THE QUESTION: Assuming to be true what one claims to be proving to be true. Ex I believe in A because I believe in B, I believe in B because of A Ex I know I can trust Janine because she says that I can. Ex Science vs Scripture POST HOC: Because A occurred after B, then A must be the cause of B. After this therefore because of this. Ex superstitious I broke a mirror, therefore I will have seven years of bad luck Ex There was a full moon the night I had my car accident, so I m never driving again under a full moon. STRAW MAN: Arguing against a misrepresentation of a position rather than the real thing. Ex Mother asked son not to play video games as much, child is offended

7 APPEAL TO AUTHORITY: Appealing to someone as an authority where he or she is not an authority. Ex Corn Flakes Box Does Michael Phelps know much about nutrition for all people who eat breakfast? Ex My dentist says that I need a new car, and I believe her. APPEAL TO IGNORANCE: Assuming a belief to be true if it has not been disproven. It sometimes involves an appeal to the unknown. Ex You can t prove that there aren t Martians living in caves under the surface of Mars, so it is reasonable for me to believe there are. Ex I ve never seen a lion, so they must not exist. AD POPULUM: This is an appeal to the crowd/numbers and relies on the tendency of people to believe or go along with what is commonly accepted or done. Ex But all my friends are doing it!! Ex But everyone is buying her album so she must be a good singer. Ex Everyone cheats on their income taxes, so it must be all right. RED HERRING: Sidetracking the argument by bringing in what is irrelevant. Ex Mother: Its bedtime Jane Jane: Mom, how do ants feed their babies? Mother: Don t know dear. Close your eyes now. Jane: But mama, do ant babies cry when they are hungry?

8 SELF EVIDENT THINKING & ARGUMENTS Mr A It is self evident that man is a thinking being We all think (this generally is not argued against, but if someone wants to try???????????????) There are laws that control our thinking: LAWS OF THOUGHT LAWS OF THOUGHT 1. Law of Identity: something is what it is (apple, dog, horse, etc.) A is A 2. Law of Non-Contradiction- Something cannot be itself (horse) and something contradictory (non-horse) at the same time and in the same respect. not both A and non-a at the same time and same respect 3. Law of Excluded Middle- Something is either itself (apple) or is non-self (pear) HOW WE USE REASON 1. We use Reason to form concepts, judgments and arguments 2. We use Reason as a test for meaning. Meaning is more basic than truth. If no meaning- then meaningless 3. We use Reason to interpret our experiences 4. We use Reason to construct a Worldview either A or non-a

9 WORDS CONCEPT What is a word? What does it do? A word expresses a concept What is a concept? In a Concept the mind grasps the essence of a thing ESSENCE MEANING AND TRUTH bliks are grue...true or False? What is essence? Essence is a set of qualities of a thing that distinguishes from all other things You must know what they MEAN to claim True or False Should your words have meaning? how consistent are we if we speak words without knowing their meaning?

10 JUDGMENT ARGUMENT CLINIC are we to make judgments? not about people but ideas and claims what is a judgment? A judgment is combining two concepts and making a claim of TRUE or False Marker is Red Cat is black Dogs are awesome ARGUMENT ARGUMENT argument vs fighting argument is giving a support for your claim fighting is pressing your point and... just contradicting not being humble lacking integrity Argument is taking 2 judgments and inferring a third judgment Mp - All men are Mortal mp - Mr A is a man Con: Mr A is mortal lacking honesty

11 AUTHORITY OF REASON AUTHORITY OF REASON 1. Reason is in all men, everywhere. Reason is natural. 2. Reason governs our thinking. 3. Reason also governs what exists. So, if something cannot be thought (no concept), than something cannot exists in reality There are no Square-Circles, no Uncaused Events 4. Reason is authoritative and self-attesting. 5. Reason cannot be questioned, but makes questioning possible. To give up Reason as the laws governing thought or to claim they are not authoritative is to give up what is most clear..it is to give up meaning. It is to go the way of Skepticism TRUTH WHAT IS FAITH? objective truth true regardless of one s view, experience, or feeling gender, the sun existing subjective truth truth that is personal favorite ice cream Hebrews 11:1 NIV: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. ESV: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. KJV: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. dogs vs cats

12 WHAT IS FAITH? FAITH IS KNOWLEDGE confidence assurance substance this means what are the reasons for what you hope for Knowledge is justified, true belief evidence conviction this means what is the proof for things that are not seen Can t see (speaking of Faith in God, who is spirit not seen physically with the eyes) Justified- rationally true; you have undeniable, objective proof True- the belief is based on reality; how the world actually works Belief- persuaded to agree; hold it dear and meaningful to your life KNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGE What does it mean to say I know? knowledge is a justified, true, belief if you have rational justification, and if what you say is true, and if you believe it, then you have knowledge What should be expected if a person says that? if you know then is it clear to you? if it is clear to you then can you show it? therefore: if you know then you should be able to show it