Theory Of Knowledge (Dimensions of Philosophy Series) [Paperback]

Keith Lehrer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 29, 1990 | ISBN-10: 0813305713 | ISBN-13: 978-0813305714

In this important new text, Keith Lehrer introduces students to the major traditional and contemporary accounts of knowing. Beginning with the traditional definition of knowledge as justified true belief, Lehrer explores the truth, belief, and justification conditions on the way to a thorough examination of foundation theories of knowledge, externalism and naturalized epistemologies, and internalism and modern coherence theories as well as recent reliabilist and causal theories. Lehrer gives all views careful examination and concludes that external factors must be matched by appropriate internal factors to yield knowledge. This match of internal and external factors follows from Lehrer’s new coherence theory of undefeated justification.In addition to doing justice to the living epistemological traditions, the text smoothly integrates several new lines that will interest scholars. Lehrer argues, for example, that acceptance should replace the traditional belief condition and that knowledge can ultimately be understood as undefeated justification and truth as a consequence of a justification remaining undefeated.A feature of special interest is Lehrer’s concept of a justification game. Lehrer explains justification in terms of a game between a claimant and a skeptic: The claimant wins and the knowledge claim is justified when he or she can beat or neutralize the moves of the skeptic.Readers of Professor Lehrer’s earlier book, Knowledge, will want to know that this text adopts the framework of that classic. But Theory of Knowledge is a thoroughly revised and up-dated version, containing several completely new chapters, that has been simplified throughout for student use.Written by a well-known scholar and contributor to modern epistemology, this text is distinguished by clarity of structure, accessible writing, and an elegant mix of traditional material, contemporary ideas, and well-motivated innovation. It will immediately take its place in the front rank of texts on the theory of knowledge.

Editorial Reviews

Review

`Quite delightful. Lehrer is certainly a master stylist. In addition to its stylistic virtues, this book contains clear and careful accounts (and critiques) of traditional, modern and contemporary theories. His own views are developed in new and interesting ways that will command attention.' - Jonathan Kvanvig, Texas A & M University

`Attains something both difficult and rare, as it introduces the student brilliantly to the field and also guides him to the cutting edge.' - Ernest Sosa, Brown University --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Keith Lehrer is Regents Professor of Philosophy at the University of Arizona.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Westview Press (March 29, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813305713
• ISBN-13: 978-0813305714
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #248,743 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not quite a textbook, not quite a treatise, May 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Theory Of Knowledge (Dimensions of Philosophy Series) (Paperback)

The other Dimensions of Philosophy books I had seen and used - Van Imwagen's Metaphysics and Kim's Mind books - had been excellent for mid-to-upper level philosophy courses. Both had their axes to grind, but overviews of a wide range of opinions and positions was offered in a way I found balanced and reasonable. Lehrer's book is more Lehrer's pet project. The sections on foundationalism contain a little preamble and a lot of criticism (and I say this as someone who thinks the doctrine is false) and the rest contains a lot of arguments that I recognize as specifically taken from Lehrer's work rather than representing the field as a whole. And as an overview of Lehrer's work, this will not satisfy professional philosophers, for the deeper points and issues are only given a few allusions. This is not to say Lehrer is not an impressive philosopher, but those, like me, who were looking for something to use in a classroom may find this frustrating.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Difficult but possibly worth it..., June 1, 2001

By 

David J. DeVore (Berkeley, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Theory of Knowledge (Paperback)

The theory of knowledge is a hard subject to begin learning; with terms like "justification," "acceptance," "foundationalism," and "externalism" flying around, the philosophical novice may easily get lost in the philosophical whirlwind. Because I read Lehrer's introductory effort painstakingly and carefully, it mitigated my difficulties with learning epistemology.

In a subject containing such obscure terminology, Lehrer starts the reader off on the right foot; if the reader puts enough work in to understand his first chapter, he will have a good understanding of the language of the subject. His remaining chapters do as good a job as can be expected of taking the reader through the various problems that the discussion of different theories of knowledge. Lehrer tries to make it interesting by arguing for his own pet theory (a coherence theory supported by the trustworthiness principle), and his ploy does help the reader pay attention, though in his partisanship he doesn't always present the opposing argument fairly (as in the counterexamples to undefeated justification in chapter 7). On the whole, however, a valient effort and a worthwhile read for anyone interested in epistemology.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Book!, November 14, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Theory of Knowledge (Paperback)

Lehrer provides one of the best introductions to epistemology. The book is well suited to advanced undergraduates, graduates and professional philosophers alike. More importantly, it is an improvement on his first edition -- some areas of argument and explication have been cleaned up, and he has added material on recent developments in the field (e.g. contextualism and virtue epistemology). Great book.