Opinions - The Absolute Sound

Timrhu's right, Mrtennis. Never too late to pursue study of philosophy, or anything else. Change happens!

But for most people, it is probably unwise to pursue college teaching as a vocation, esp. later in life. The current economic malaise seems to have increased the (already depressing) rate at which desirable, secure, jobs in the academy are drying up. There might be some uptick with a "recovery," but I suspect things will continue to be a bit grim.

John

PS: FWIW, the standard account of knowledge as "justified true belief" does not seem to imply certainty.

hi jdoris:

truth without certainty seems contradictory.

truth without certainty seems contradictory

Mrtennis: I might have lots of true beliefs, without being certain of them; e.g., I might make an educated guess about what floor of the garage I parked my car on, and be right. Indeed, there might be any number of true statements nobody has considered, so nobody is certain of them.

The general thought is that certainty is somehow psychological, and truth is not.

It's plausible that knowledge entails certainty (knowledge may be a partly psychological notion). I don't think it does, because I don't think justification requires certainty.

John

if you "know" something to be true you must be certain else, there is a probability of it being false.

regarding your example of the parked car, you don't know it is located at a particular spot, you have a recollection of where it is located.

secondly i believe that when you use your senses , no knowledge can be derived from it.

all knowledge is abstract.

for example, as silly as it sounds, you can say , i know i own a levenson amp, but you can't prove it using mathematics or logic, since it requires you to see the amp.

yes this approach is radical skepticism, but it is my concept.

OK you two, go to your rooms until you can get along with others!