[lit-ideas] Re: agnotology

  • From: Phil Enns <phil.enns@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2011 08:45:14 +0700

John Wager wrote:

"... I offer the observation that marriage affects agontology greatly.
Just today, I have had the experience of being asked at least three
times if I'm sure that I know that I know that I (a) took out the
trash, (b) was careful not to spill any yellow paint on the cabinet
fronts being re-stained by my wife in the basement, and (c) called the
man about the deck repair. Such experiences are probably the most
common example of whether just "knowing" or having to "KNOW that you
know" are more than just academic exercises."

I agree with Robert that knowledge involves mental states and, with
John, some degree of awareness of this knowledge. But, knowledge is
also related to activities in the world so that we can make judgments
about other people's claims to knowledge on the basis of the things
they do or do not do. Using Wittgenstein's example, we can be
confident that a child knows how to add, not when they say '1+1=2',
but rather when they can carry on from there. The proposition by
itself is not sufficient for knowledge, nor is making the claim to
know. It seems to me that knowledge is not simple, being neither
solely a mental state, nor a proposition, nor an activity. Rather,
knowledge seems to be the combination of these three.

To add to what John wrote, having children can also be helpful in
thinking about these matters. My oldest, when reminded about some
chore or duty, often replies that she knows she has to do it. I have
been reduced to responding that I don't care what she knows, instead I
care about what she does. I also am pretty confident in saying that
when my wife asks me if I am sure I took out the trash, she is not
asking about a mental state but whether she will see a full rubbish
bin if she walks into the kitchen.

Sincerely,

Phil Enns
Indonesia
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