Phil. 1010: Knowledge Component
July Semester, 2006
Dr Anne Newstead
Practice Exam Questions
The following are ten sample essay questions, broadly similar to ones you may have
to answer on the final exam. In the exam, you will need to answer three questions
only. You will have two hours to complete the exam.
1. ‘It is wrong always, everywhere, and for every one, to believe anything upon
insufficient evidence’ (Clifford, as quoted by William James). What conception of
rational belief motivates the position expressed in this quote? Do pragmatists such as
James have a good alternative to the evidentialist position on belief?
2. What is the JTB analysis of knowledge? What challenge did Gettier raise to this
analysis? How might one respond to Gettier’s challenge?
3. Does self-knowledge require knowledge of physical objects?
4. What is the main argument for foundationalism? Explain and evaluate one
significant objection to foundationalism. (You may wish to illustrate your case by
applying the objection to a particular example or a particular philosopher’s system.)
5. What is the distinction between internalism and externalism? Why do internalists
think that justification has to be internal? How would an internalist criticise a theory
like the causal theory of knowledge?
6. What is the role of reflection in generating and destroying knowledge?
7. According to contextualists such as Wittgenstein, doubts are only meaningful and
intelligible within a given context. Explain how this insight provides the basis for the
contextualist response to scepticism. Evaluate the contextualist response: how
successful is it and why?
8. How is scepticism about other minds best resisted?
9. ‘We are caught between the rock of fallibilism and whirlpool of scepticism. Both
are mad!’. Explain the dilemma that David Lewis is discussing in this quote. Which
way out of the dilemma seems most promising and why?
10. ‘It still remains a scandal to philosophy…that the existence of things outside of
us...must be accepted merely on faith; and that if anyone thinks it good to doubt their
existence, we are unable to counter his doubts by any satisfactory proof’ (Kant,
Critique of Pure Reason, B xxxix).
Do you agree or disagree? What is the proper response to scepticism? Might
scepticism have a positive role to play in epistemology?
July Semester, 2006
Dr Anne Newstead
Practice Exam Questions
The following are ten sample essay questions, broadly similar to ones you may have
to answer on the final exam. In the exam, you will need to answer three questions
only. You will have two hours to complete the exam.
1. ‘It is wrong always, everywhere, and for every one, to believe anything upon
insufficient evidence’ (Clifford, as quoted by William James). What conception of
rational belief motivates the position expressed in this quote? Do pragmatists such as
James have a good alternative to the evidentialist position on belief?
2. What is the JTB analysis of knowledge? What challenge did Gettier raise to this
analysis? How might one respond to Gettier’s challenge?
3. Does self-knowledge require knowledge of physical objects?
4. What is the main argument for foundationalism? Explain and evaluate one
significant objection to foundationalism. (You may wish to illustrate your case by
applying the objection to a particular example or a particular philosopher’s system.)
5. What is the distinction between internalism and externalism? Why do internalists
think that justification has to be internal? How would an internalist criticise a theory
like the causal theory of knowledge?
6. What is the role of reflection in generating and destroying knowledge?
7. According to contextualists such as Wittgenstein, doubts are only meaningful and
intelligible within a given context. Explain how this insight provides the basis for the
contextualist response to scepticism. Evaluate the contextualist response: how
successful is it and why?
8. How is scepticism about other minds best resisted?
9. ‘We are caught between the rock of fallibilism and whirlpool of scepticism. Both
are mad!’. Explain the dilemma that David Lewis is discussing in this quote. Which
way out of the dilemma seems most promising and why?
10. ‘It still remains a scandal to philosophy…that the existence of things outside of
us...must be accepted merely on faith; and that if anyone thinks it good to doubt their
existence, we are unable to counter his doubts by any satisfactory proof’ (Kant,
Critique of Pure Reason, B xxxix).
Do you agree or disagree? What is the proper response to scepticism? Might
scepticism have a positive role to play in epistemology?
