Each of the answers should be approximately ¾ to 1 page, single-spaced, (about 2

Question

Each of the answers should be approximately ¾ to 1 page, single-spaced, (about 200 words) in length, although some of your answers could be a little longer, others a little shorter, depending on the question you are answering. Can you help me with these questions please

1. What is the difference between descriptive (or factual) judgments and normative judgments? Is the field of epistemology descriptive, or normative, or both? Explain your answer.

2. Explain clearly what is known as the justified-true-belief account of knowledge and briefly discuss how plausible it is.

3. Describe the Scientific Revolution of the 17th Century and the impact it had on Descartes’ thought.

4. Do you think that what happened in the Scientific Revolution of the 17th century casts doubt on the reliability of science or, instead, reaffirms and supports the power of science to learn about nature? Explain your answer clearly.

5. What is Descartes’ main epistemological project in the Meditations? Do you think it is actually possible to carry this project out? Support your view by argument.

6. What is Descartes’ method of doubt and what role does it play in his overall project in the Meditations?

7. What is Descartes’ famous Cogito argument? How convincing is it as a response to the scepticism of the First Meditation?

8. Explain as clearly as you can the foundationalist theory of knowledge, and the regress argument that is often put forward in support of it?

9. Explain as clearly as you can how Descartes tries to get beyond the foundation of direct knowledge to the conclusion that most of his common sense beliefs about the world must be true and the evil demon hypothesis false.

10. What is the coherence theory of knowledge? Do you think it is an improvement over foundationalism? (You may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each theory here.)

11. What is G.E. Moore’s “common sense refutation” of Cartesian scepticism? Do you think it’s convincing? Support your assessment as best you can by argument.

12. What are the main differences between the two philosophical traditions or outlooks known as rationalism and empiricism?

13. Describe as accurately as you can Locke’s main criticisms of the doctrine of innate ideas accepted by Descartes and other rationalists.

14. Explain Locke’s account how all of our ideas, or concepts, can be derived from experience. (To answer this question, you need to discuss his distinction between simple and complex ideas.)

15. Describe the disagreement between Descartes and Locke about whether the concept of God can be derived from experience. With whom do you agree and why?

16. Describe as accurately as you can Kant’s view of what he calls the “categories of the understanding”. What types of considerations lend support to Kant’s account of these categories?

17. Describe Chomsky’s view of our language faculty, and, in particular, his theory that there is a universal grammar. How is it relevant to the controversy over innate ideas?

18. Explain clearly Locke’s account of secondary qualities as causal powers. What is Locke’s purpose in developing this account?

Explanation / Answer

Question: What is the difference between descriptive (or factual) judgments and normative judgments? Is the field of epistemology descriptive, or normative, or both? Explain your answer.

Answer: Epistemology is a branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge, criteria and justification used for truth of beliefs. It explores answers to questions like –

For example we know that 3+5 = 8 but epistemology seek to answer the question about how do we know that three plus five is equal to 8 and what justifies truth of this knowledge.

Descriptive judgement is based upon the bare facts with minimum or negligible subjective contribution into the judgement beyond the observable data (facts). One just describes the how one sees the things and there is no evaluation involved in the judgement.

Example could I have lot of money, I am planning to go for a movie today

Normative judgement always require some standards, norms, criteria to judge things. One making normative judgments always makes an evaluative kind of statement compared to some explicit or implicitly held norms. Normative judgement often involve assessment of event like good, bad, should, right, wrong. Examples of normative judgement could involve -

It is not good to keep animals at home

We should respect our elders

Conclusion: Now the epistemology is branch of philosophy that makes/develops objective and neutral propositions based upon observation of people and use of logic/reasoning. For example –

‘We often believes something because of our faith or trust in a person’

Now such propositions are not evaluating our behaviours as good or bad, right or wrong, acceptable or unacceptable, moral or immoral. These are just descriptive judgements made by scholar in epistemology. Therefore, epistemology is descriptive.     

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