Key+Words+and+Assumptions+of+Title+6

Back to Title 6

Key Words to Define and Evaluate Title # 6:// “A skeptic is one who is willing to question any knowledge claim, asking for clarity in definition, consistency in logic, and adequacy of evidence” (adapted from Paul Kurtz, 1994)”. Evaluate this approach in two areas of knowledge // What are the dangers of being universally skeptical? What is the methodology of a skeptic? || What are the questioning? Are all justifications (assuming a JTB definition of a knowledge claim) equally valid or are some sources of knowledge more reliable than others? || Can we ever achieve complete clarity in language? || What is the difference between a knowledge claim that is deductively valid and truth? What is the difference between a knowledge claim that is inductively sound and truth? Is rationality universal and objective? || What are the different sources of knowledge? Are certain types of evidence more reliable than others? || __Development Activities__
 * = **Terms to Consider** ||= **Definitions** ||= **Things to Consider** ||
 * = Skeptic ||=  ||= What is skepticism?
 * = Question a knowledge claim ||=  ||= What defines a knowledge claim?
 * = Clarity of Definition ||=  ||= How is language ambiguous?
 * = Consistency of Logic ||=  ||= How is logic evaluated?
 * = Adequacy of evidence ||=  ||= What is sufficient evidence?

1. Look up the dictionary definitions of the above terms and evaluate to what extent their different definitions change the meaning of the title. For words with multiple definitions, attempt to plug in each definition and see how it creates a different meaning. Select the definition for each term that feel makes the most sense for this title and add it to the above table in your own words.

2. Attempt to answer for yourself the questions posed in the "Things to Consider" column. Why are these questions important to answer?