Introduction to Philosophy

Achieve Test Prep: Philosophy

the future. When you state you know something, you mean at least two different things: ‘I think this belief is completely accurate’ or ‘I can explain to you the reasons or evidence that supports this belief.’ We work at evaluating the accuracy of our beliefs by examining the reasons or evidence that supports them (known as the justification or the beliefs). Your beliefs can be thought of as forming a continuum based on their accuracy and justification and as you learn more about the world and yourself you try to form beliefs that are increasingly accurate and justified. Determining the accuracy and justification of your beliefs is more challenging and we generally use the following criteria:

• To what extent is the belief supported by sound reasons and compelling evidence derived from reliable sources?

• How effectively does the belief explain what is taking place?

• To what extent is the belief consistent with other beliefs you have about the world?

• How effectively does your belief help you predict what will happen in the near future?

• Is the belief falsifiable?

A critical thinking perspective sees knowledge and truth as goals that we are striving to achieve, processes that we are all actively involved in as we construct our understanding of the world. Developing accurate knowledge about the world is often a challenging process of exploration and analysis in which our understanding grows and evolves over a period of time.

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