AQA A Level Philosophy What is
knowledge 2024
Exam Questions and Answers
What is ability (or practical) knowledge? Give an example. -
Answer>> Knowing "how" to do something - for instance, I
know how to swim.
What is a behaviourist view of practical knowledge? - Answer>>
Behaviourists believe all knowledge can be reduced to practical
knowledge. I know red and white make pink because I know how
to mix paint in order to prove it.
What is acquaintance knowledge? Give an example. -
Answer>> Acquaintance knowledge is knowledge "of"
something. I have experienced a certain thing, such as the taste
of peach, but I may not know why something tastes of peach or
prove that it does.
(This links to Locke's idea of tabula rasa, claiming all knowledge
comes from sense experiences)
What is propositional knowledge? Give an example. -
Answer>> Propositional knowledge is knowing "that" something
is the case. For instance, I know that my desk is white. Unlike the
other types of knowledge, this can be expressed through
language.
According to Locke, what is a "real essence"? Give an example. -
Answer>> Something has a "real essence" if there is a genuine,
objective distinction between things that are classed as "it" and
"not it". Water has a real essence because on a molecular level it
is different to other liquids. Weeds do not have a real essence
because weeds are the same as other plants - humans just
, categorise them differently because they don't want them around
(a culturally specific classification).
For Locke, what is a "real definition"? - Answer>> A "real
definition" is the "real essence" of an object (see FC5). Water's
"real definition" is H2O. If an object does not have a "real
essence", it cannot have a "real definition".
What were Zagzebski's views on whether knowledge had a real
definition? - Answer>> It is ambiguous whether the term
"knowledge" has a real essence and thus a real definition.
However, we should treat it as if it does and thus try to seek a real
definition.
What are the four things that a definition of knowledge shouldn't
be, according to Zagzebski? - Answer>> -Circular (including the
term being defined)
-Obscure (the terms used shouldn't be more obscure than the
original term)
-Negative (based on what something is not)
-Ad hoc (satisfying specific examples)
Explain Plato's example of the Road to Larissa, and its purpose. -
Answer>> The Road to Larissa shows the difference between
knowledge and true belief. Both someone who knows the way to
Larissa and someone who guesses it correctly are good guides,
but only one would be said to have knowledge. Plato argued that
true beliefs do not remain in the mind as they are not held there
by evidence - so therefore knowledge must be justified.
What is the tripartite view of knowledge? - Answer>> S knows p
only if:
- S believes that p
- p is true
knowledge 2024
Exam Questions and Answers
What is ability (or practical) knowledge? Give an example. -
Answer>> Knowing "how" to do something - for instance, I
know how to swim.
What is a behaviourist view of practical knowledge? - Answer>>
Behaviourists believe all knowledge can be reduced to practical
knowledge. I know red and white make pink because I know how
to mix paint in order to prove it.
What is acquaintance knowledge? Give an example. -
Answer>> Acquaintance knowledge is knowledge "of"
something. I have experienced a certain thing, such as the taste
of peach, but I may not know why something tastes of peach or
prove that it does.
(This links to Locke's idea of tabula rasa, claiming all knowledge
comes from sense experiences)
What is propositional knowledge? Give an example. -
Answer>> Propositional knowledge is knowing "that" something
is the case. For instance, I know that my desk is white. Unlike the
other types of knowledge, this can be expressed through
language.
According to Locke, what is a "real essence"? Give an example. -
Answer>> Something has a "real essence" if there is a genuine,
objective distinction between things that are classed as "it" and
"not it". Water has a real essence because on a molecular level it
is different to other liquids. Weeds do not have a real essence
because weeds are the same as other plants - humans just
, categorise them differently because they don't want them around
(a culturally specific classification).
For Locke, what is a "real definition"? - Answer>> A "real
definition" is the "real essence" of an object (see FC5). Water's
"real definition" is H2O. If an object does not have a "real
essence", it cannot have a "real definition".
What were Zagzebski's views on whether knowledge had a real
definition? - Answer>> It is ambiguous whether the term
"knowledge" has a real essence and thus a real definition.
However, we should treat it as if it does and thus try to seek a real
definition.
What are the four things that a definition of knowledge shouldn't
be, according to Zagzebski? - Answer>> -Circular (including the
term being defined)
-Obscure (the terms used shouldn't be more obscure than the
original term)
-Negative (based on what something is not)
-Ad hoc (satisfying specific examples)
Explain Plato's example of the Road to Larissa, and its purpose. -
Answer>> The Road to Larissa shows the difference between
knowledge and true belief. Both someone who knows the way to
Larissa and someone who guesses it correctly are good guides,
but only one would be said to have knowledge. Plato argued that
true beliefs do not remain in the mind as they are not held there
by evidence - so therefore knowledge must be justified.
What is the tripartite view of knowledge? - Answer>> S knows p
only if:
- S believes that p
- p is true
