The Biggest Mistake Students Make With Epistemology

Let's be brutally honest: Epistemology is usually taught terribly in textbooks. You don't need to be a genius to master this; you just need to understand one specific mental model.

Did you make this error?

• The Trap: confusing belief with knowledge
• The Proof: Read this scenario: Just because you strongly believe something, and it turns out to be true, doesn't mean you 'knew' it. Philosophers define knowledge as 'Justified True Belief'—you must have valid evidence for the belief.

If your logic doesn't match the proof above, you've fallen for the trap. Erase it and start over.

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Related Philosophy Study Guides

• The Mental Shortcut for Mastering Epistemology
• The Mental Shortcut for Mastering Rawls' Veil of Ignorance
• How to Ace Plato's Allegory of the Cave Questions on Your Exam