1. Methodological skepticism effectively subjects all knowledge claims to scientific scrutiny to separate the truth from false. Moreover, an individual systematically doubts his or her beliefs not to be true. On the other hand, radical skepticism refers to a body of science that holds that not every belief’s truth can become possibly ascertained. However, there is a contrast between the two schools of thought, radical skepticism has some reason in it that not all claims can hold true. Were it that every person’s opinions were accepted to be true, then there could be nothing we know of today. Descartes is highly esteemed and hailed for contributing immensely to the development of the methodological skepticism.
2. The cogito according to Descartes means even though we doubt everything, it is impossible to doubt our existence. In that sense, cogito is the soul and therefore can never depart from the thinker. Descartes opined that the cogito is personal, that is, every person has his own cogito which is present tense and makes one not doubt that one exists.
3) Empiricists believe that there must be testimony for every knowledge for instance, sun rises in the morning from the East. They also believe in statements that have plain truth in them as well as alongside statements that become true in every world. The rationalists believe that every bit of knowledge we know is brought about by our external senses. Further, it is near impossible to dispute a claim standing individually because every individual reasons differently.
3. According to this theory, an individual is justified to believe in a certain proposition as much as one condition even though not true results in another that is true. For instance, John a friend to James knows that James owns a house in town. The two have another friend Kelvin who John does not have an idea on his whereabouts. John therefore, makes two propositions;
a) Either James owns the house or Kelvin resides in LA.
b) Either James owns the house or Kelvin resides in California.
c) Either James owns the house or Kelvin resides in Barcelona.
Gettier thinks that if John realizes that the house does not belong to James and in fact he has rented it and Kelvin does indeed reside in LA. Also, James owns the house but Kelvin does not live in California. In Getttier’s wording, John is justified to believe in the truth he thinks he knows as one account results in another that is positive.
4. The mind interprets objects, ideas, pictures and views differently based on perception as the mind is not independent of the environmental influences. Indirect realism opines that all the objects close to us and that we decipher with our senses are dependent on the mind. On the other hand, naïve realism points out that immediate objects for perception are always independent of the mind as well as their properties and therefore our senses feed us with the true face of the external conditions surrounding us. Idealism infers to the school of philosophy that believes reason and consciousness result in the critical nature of reality.
5. According to Hume, every time we do something, we do it with the results of the past to predict the future. However, using the PUN to explain of justify our actions will fail because future behavior or outcomes are not dependent on past account. We are not certain about the future and nature being uniform were it not for the customs and habits we have established over different subject matters. Hume believes that the problem of induction cannot be solved for the sole purpose of believing that nature is uniform and the past can predict the future. I also believe that the past has an impact to a greater degree on the future outcomes. However, Hume is not out rightly correct because that would invalidate scientific research and knowledge.
Question 1:
As we go about our daily lives, we encounter and partake of nature’s goodies in different ways as interpreted by the mind. Through our sensory organs, we are capable of discerning situations and experiencing various aspects of life. The detection theory offers a perfect explanation of how the consciousness of the mind helps humans to experience and perceive things in the real world. Imagine going to a strange place where nothing is familiar with an individual and the person does not bother remembering or forming an opinion regarding the object. Additionally, he erases all memory about the same and the process continues for subsequent items, the person will surely have a direct experience with the world.
Question 2: Analytic claims make up statements that are self-explanatory. For instance examples include
Students are learners.
One is the lowest odd number.
On the other hand, synthetic claims are statements which do not derive their meaning from the meanings contained in the terms involved. Examples include
Some students are good learners.
Many people love sciences.
Question 3:
Jane is a friend to Joab. Joab resides in California and has a BMW car. Jane therefore can have three propositions.
a) Either Joab resides in California and owns the BMW car.
b) Either Joab resides in California and has rented the car from a friend.
c) Either Joab resides in California or Jane is not sure what the car cost Joab.
Suppose it is true that the BMW car belongs to Joab and Joab resides in California. The car is rented to Joab but Jane is ignorant of this fact. In this case, the truth is that Joab resides in California then Jane is justified to believe in the truth she thinks to know.
