[學術討論會]The Metaphysics of Knowledge: A Case Study(5/11)

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主講人：Prof. Dr. Dr. (h.c.) Martin Kusch

Formerly professor at Cambridge University and University of Vienna

主  題：The Metaphysics of Knowledge: A Case Study

時  間：115年5月11日（週一）

      下午15:30-17:30

地  點：人文館345室（台北市羅斯福路四段1號）

歡迎參加討論，謝謝！

Seminar

Speaker: Prof. Dr. Dr. (h.c.) Martin Kusch

Formerly professor at Cambridge University and University of Vienna

Title: The Metaphysics of Knowledge: A Case Study

Date: 15:30 – 17:30 pm, Monday,    May 11, 2026

Venue: Room 345, Humanities Hall (No. 1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei)

Abstract:

Hilary Kornblith defends the thesis that knowledge is a natural kind like aluminium: knowledge is attributed to animals by cognitive ethologists; cognitive ethology is a natural science; and it needs the category of knowledge (qua reliably formed belief) to achieve its explanatory and predictive goals. -- Robin McKenna and I have argued that Kornblith owes us an argument for why we should take our lead from cognitive ethology rather than, say, from the sociology of knowledge. Kornblith has replied that the sociology of knowledge depends upon the results of cognitive ethology. -- In this paper, I offer a detailed investigation into the metaphysics of knowledge that we can find in the sociology of knowledge. I seek to identify what is problematic about this metaphysics and suggest how it might be improved to block Kornblith's quick dismissal.