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Best Epistemology resource for a beginner?

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06-01-2017 , 04:16 AM

Mightyboosh

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Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,560

Just wondering if anyone can recommend a good introductory book, or course somewhere on Epistemology. I've been diving in and out and picking bits up but really need a more structured approach and it's difficult to know where to start when there's so much choice.

Thanks in advance!

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06-01-2017 , 04:36 AM

VeeDDzz`

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Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 4,384

You can do it a better way, or you can do it the long and arduous way: read from the very first philosopher that spoke of the subject (Plato I believe, but I'm likely to be wrong here) - through to the last. Since I've taken the arduous route, I can't comment on the other.

For introductions: SEP (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) AND IEP (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy) are good.

Last edited by VeeDDzz`; 06-01-2017 at 04:42 AM.

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06-01-2017 , 05:47 AM

Mightyboosh

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Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,560

Quote:

Originally Posted by VeeDDzz`

For introductions: SEP (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

Thanks. I use that all the time but what I need is something to guide me, an overview, and although I could try to do that myself, I wouldn't know if I was getting it right or not.

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06-01-2017 , 06:29 AM

dereds

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Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 16,782

I went with this Jonathan Dancy Introduction to Epistemology

i'll root out some other stuff when I get home but the best anthology I found was Ernest Sosa and Others Epistemology: An Anthology

The Dancy isn't as introductory as its title suggests but he writes really well, Sosa has written a ton of stuff himself but I reckon that Anthology got me a good bit of the way through the course

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06-01-2017 , 08:15 AM

Mightyboosh

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Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,560

Quote:

Originally Posted by dereds

i'll root out some other stuff when I get home but the best anthology I found was Ernest Sosa and Others

Brill, just bought it, cheers. Anything else you think of, let me know. Appreciated.

Got a 'sitting in the sun' holiday coming up so this and Dennett's Breaking the Spell are going to be my holiday reading.

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06-01-2017 , 08:28 AM

dereds

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I'll check to see what I think are the best places to start with it, some of it gets really technical and is probably better deferring till you do the introductory stuff and see what else I've got that may be a decent place to start,

actually thankfully most of my ordering was amazon and I've gmail receipts.

Adam Morton is a very accessible guide to the theory of knowledge

but it's probably worth reading some of the anthology first then deciding where to go from there

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06-01-2017 , 08:30 AM

ToothSayer

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Not a textbook, but as a generic trainer in clear thinking and epistemology, any work at all by Bertrand Russell. He has an incredibly clear view of philosophy, epistemology and the pitfalls therein.

The Problems of Philosophy by Russell is a great introductory book that is full of a solid discussion of epistemology; you can't really divorce epistemology from philosophy and perception, and it helps for later study to start with a broad base from a clear thinker.

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06-01-2017 , 08:57 AM

Mightyboosh

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ToothSayer

Great, also ordered, since it was only £4.50

Thanks.

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06-01-2017 , 09:00 AM

Mightyboosh

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Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,560

Quote:

Originally Posted by dereds

Right, changed the order to this and I'll graduate to the Anthology when I've read this. Cheers.

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06-01-2017 , 10:03 AM

#10

Philo

old hand

Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,385

I would recommend this Robert Audi introduction (this is the entire text):

http://www.commonsenseatheism.com/wp...emology-2e.pdf

Given your interests at this stage I would stay away from anthologies until you've got a basic understanding of the field.

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06-01-2017 , 12:35 PM

#11

Mightyboosh

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Philo

Thanks, downloaded it.

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06-01-2017 , 12:47 PM

#12

MacOneDouble

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Join Date: May 2017 Posts: 1,691

I don't believe I possess enough knowledge on epistemology to recommend a good source.

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06-01-2017 , 09:06 PM

#13

VeeDDzz`

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Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 4,384

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacOneDouble

I don't believe I possess enough knowledge on epistemology to recommend a good source.

How do you know you don't believe that you don't know much epistemology?

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06-04-2017 , 01:23 PM

#14

Black Peter

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Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 2,921

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToothSayer

+1

A terrific book to learn the basics

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06-04-2017 , 02:55 PM

#15

Original Position

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Black Peter

+1

A terrific book to learn the basics

Honestly, if you want an introduction to Epistemology, I would not use this book as it is out of date now. You need something written post Gettier.

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