AS philosophy help: What is the difference between believing something and knowing it

Hi, I have got this question for my philosophy homework:
What is the difference between believing something and knowing it?

So far I have written this:

Many people think that what they believe about they believe about the nature of reality and what they know about reality coexists as the same thing. However, the two words couldn’t be more different.
When you believe something, such as theories in religion or science, this belief has been created through a process of logical assumption or is taught to people by their teachers, friends and family and the rest of society.
Belief often involves the deployment of concepts, for example one cannot believe that something is a cow unless one understands what a cow is.
Some beliefs (called core beliefs) are at the forefront of consciousness – things you are actually thinking about.
On the other hand, by knowing something, this knowledge has been created through personal experience. For example, we know that we are physically alive on earth.
Knowledge is often defined as true belief, however some philosophers argue that knowledge does not involve but replaces belief.

I have to write about a page of A4 I think, but it's not even 1/2 way yet! I'm finding it hard to write so much on such a small topic!

Reply 1

thefish_uk

Charlieee

Hi, I have got this question for my philosophy homework:
What is the difference between believing something and knowing it?

So far I have written this:

I have to write about a page of A4 I think, but it's not even 1/2 way yet! I'm finding it hard to write so much on such a small topic!

Have you looked at what A.J. Ayer said?

He said that for something to be knowledge you must believe in it, you must think it is true, and it must have justification. So knowledge is true, justified belief .

There's plenty of other stuff you can put in... haven't you got a book you can read? We've been given books on epistemology, but it's damn hard!

Reply 2

pedy1986

Charlieee

The question is essentially in my view asking you to distinguish between true belief and knowledge (justified true belief) then obviously go to explain what exactly knowledge is.

I would establish that you take for granted that you believe that the condition of truth is required for both belief and knowledge - although it has been argued it isn't required I dismiss that whole argument.

Now - What is the difference between 'True Belief' and 'Justified True Belief';

Let us take for example a racist juror who decides before the case that the man must be guility because he is black. Now, it happens to be the case that this man is infact gulity, so this is infact a true belief. However, we would hesitate to call this knowledge due to the fact it is based on an irrational justifcation (racism) therefore we would not say the juror knew the man was gulity because he lacked justification on good and relevant grounds.

The way I would structure this essay;

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Establish that you will discuss if knowledge is justified true belief and its differences from true belief

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Look at truth as a necessary condition

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Look as belief as a necessary condition

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Ask - is this enough to form knowledge? (see example above)

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Look at Justification as a necessary condition

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Examplify how you think that JTB is infact knowledge

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Criticise the definition of JTB by citing the Gettier objection (i.e. accidently justification)

Thats more than you really need to talk about - but it will make you look good. This isn't really a small topic, there is quite a lot to write you must remember in any philosophy essay that you must outline all your conditions and why they are infact necessary - you take no assumptions.

If you need any more help add me to msn ( [email protected] ) and I can send you my notes from AS Philosophy last year.