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A Framework for Understanding Naturalized Epistemology Amirah Albahri

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A Framework for Understanding Naturalized Epistemology Amirah Albahri Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2011 A Framework for Understanding Naturalized Epistemology Amirah Albahri Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING NATURALIZED EPISTEMOLOGY By AMIRAH ALBAHRI A dissertation submitted to the Philosophy department In partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy Degree Awarded: Fall Semester, 2011 Amirah Albahri defended this dissertation on November 7, 2011 The members of the supervisory committee were: Michael Bishop Professor Directing dissertation Michael Kaschak University Representative Michael Ruse Committee Member The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members, and certifies that the dissertation has been approved in accordance with university requirements. ii To, My Mother (Mariam, Mero, Dai Marwan) Shafi, Tareq and Yaser. Saying ‘thank you’ is not enough. I owe you everything. You have always been there for me, and I will always be there for you. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. vi List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. viii Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... ix 1. CHAPTER ONE ......................................................................................................................1 1.1 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................1 2. CHAPTER TWO ...................................................................................................................10 2.1 A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING NATURALIZED EPISTEMOLOGY ................................................................................................................10 2.1.1 Defining Naturalized Epistemology ...............................................................10 2.1.2 Classifying Naturalized Epistemology ............................................................11 2.1.3 Types and Subtypes of Naturalized Epistemology ..........................................11 2.1.4 Main features of Naturalized Epistemology ....................................................12 2.1.5 Constructing the Framework and Criteria Used to classify Naturalized Epistemology ...............................................................................................................15 3. CHAPTER THREE ...............................................................................................................18 3.1 REPLACEMENT NATURALISM .............................................................................18 3.1.1 Main Features of replacement Naturalism .......................................................24 4. CHAPTER FOUR .................................................................................................................25 4.1 SUBSTANTIVE NATURALISM ..............................................................................25 4.1.1 Primary Epistemology .....................................................................................26 4.1.2 Scientific Epistemology ...................................................................................38 4.1.3 Epistemics .......................................................................................................53 4.1.4 Main Features of Substantive Naturalism ........................................................61 5. CHAPTER FIVE ...................................................................................................................62 5.1 COOPERATIVE NATURALISM ..............................................................................62 5.1.1 Stich’s Pragmatic Naturalism .........................................................................64 5.1.2 Strategic Reliabilism .......................................................................................84 5.1.3 Kornblith’s Natural Kind Theory.....................................................................95 5.1.4 Main Features of Cooperative Naturalism ....................................................110 6. CHAPTER SIX ...................................................................................................................112 6.1 WHY COOPERATIVE NATURALISM? ................................................................112 7. CHAPTER SEVEN .............................................................................................................120 iv 7.1 CONCLUSION ..........................................................................................................120 v LIST OF TABLES 1. Traditional Epistemology- Relation Between Traditional Epistemology and Empirical Science ........................................................................................................................................129 2. Main Features of Traditional Epistemology ....................................................................129 3. Applying the Six -Question Criterion Classifying Naturalized Epistemology- Replacement Naturalism- substantive naturalism- cooperative naturalism .....................130 4. Applying the established Six- question criterion to classify theories of naturalized epistemology- replacement naturalism ............................................................................132 5. Relation Between Empirical Science and Replacement Naturalism ...............................133 6. Stages of Substantive Naturalism’s Subtypes: Primary Epistemology-Scientific epistemology- Epistemics ................................................................................................134 7. The Relation Between Empirical Science and Primary Epistemology of Substantive Naturalism ........................................................................................................................135 8. Six -Question Criterion Classifying Naturalized Epistemology- Traditional epistemology and Primary Epistemology of Substantive Naturalism ....................................................136 9. The Relation Between Empirical Science and (Scientific Epistemology – Epistemics) Accounts of Substantive Naturalism ................................................................................137 10. Six -Question Criterion Classifying Naturalized Epistemology- Traditional epistemology and Scientific Epistemology of Substantive Naturalism .................................................138 11. Six- Question Criterion Classifying Naturalized Epistemology- Traditional epistemology and Epistemics of Substantive Naturalism ......................................................................139 12. Main Features of Substantive Naturalism: Primary Epistemology-Scientific Epistemology- Epistemics ...............................................................................................140 13. Six- Question Criterion for Classifying Naturalism— Substantive Naturalism and Cooperative Naturalism ...................................................................................................141 14. Relation between empirical science and subtype of cooperative naturalism: Stich’s pragmatism - Kornblith’s natural kind theory .................................................................142 vi 15. Six -Question Criterion for Classifying Naturalism—Traditional Epistemology and Cooperative Naturalism- Pragmatism ..............................................................................143 16. Relation Between Empirical Science and Strategic Reliabilism of Cooperative Naturalism ....................................................................................................................................144 17. Six- Question Criterion for Classifying Naturalism— Traditional Epistemology, Cooperative Naturalism: Strategic Reliabilism ...............................................................145 18. Six- Question Criterion for Classifying Naturalism— Traditional Epistemology, Cooperative Naturalism: Natural Kind Theory ................................................................146 19. Main Features of Cooperative Naturalism .......................................................................147 vii LIST OF FIGURES 1. Epistemology Classified- Traditional Epistemology and Types and Subtypes of Naturalized Epistemology …………………………………………………………………………………. 148 2. The Six- Question Criterion Used to Classify Naturalized Epistemology……………….......................................................................................................149 3. Subtypes of Substantive Naturalism: Primary epistemology- Scientific Epistemology- Epistemics………………………………………………………………………………………150 4. The Relation between Ameliorative Psychology and Strategic Reliabilism ..........................151 viii ABSTRACT When reviewing the literature of epistemology, we find that very few papers discuss the topic of naturalized epistemology as a unified domain. The field of naturalized epistemology does not get the attention it deserves. Therefore, my main aim in this dissertation is to establish a framework and criterion that enables
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