Evidentialism Archives - The Republican Professor

Evidentialism

March 9, 2022

Episode 21 — How Important is Trust? Special Guest Trust-Expert Dr. Jonathan Reibsamen, Ph.D., Epistemologist

Join us with Trust-expert Dr. Jonathan Reibsamen, Ph.D., a professional epistemologist, who examines the role trust plays in gaining knowledge.

Epistemology is the field of philosophy that focuses in on a disciplined and organized study of Knowledge, its limits and sources and conditions. Here the question for us hones in on how trust relates to the acquisition of knowledge in testimony (as evidence or a source of knowledge). Of course there are obvious connections to politics and business, for example. We barely scratch the surface of all the related issues that arise.

“Trust is very important.”

Dr. Reibsamen also describes the courses he teaches, including his favorite teaching experience which involves teaching Logic in the prison system in South Carolina. He calls it the best logic class he’s ever taught. A faith-based initiative, it’s privately funded through donations.

Check out the website https://advancement.ciu.edu/projects/prison-initiative for more information on how you can support this vital , ongoing work teaching Logic and Ethics from a Christian perspective in the prisons of South Carolina.

The Republican Professor is a pro-Epistemology , pro-Logic & Critical Thinking, pro-teaching in Prison podcast.

The Republican Professor welcomes Dr. Jonathan Reibsamen !

February 19, 2022

Episode 11 — How Do We Know Things ? Special Guest Dr. Trent Doughtery, Ph.D., Epistemologist

Lucas J. Mather 0

Epistemology is the field in Philosophy that focuses on what Knowledge is, how we know (or whether we know) what we think we know. Get ready to go a million miles an hour with professional epistemologist Dr. Trent Dougherty, editor of the Oxford University Press book “Evidentialism and Its Discontents” available for purchase here on Nile, Mississippi, or whatever river you get you books from.

E.g., https://www.amazon.com/Evidentialism-its-Discontents-Trent-Dougherty-ebook/dp/B00AQH7F8W/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3BM8FK58OQ5DX&keywords=trent+dougherty&qid=1645212085&sprefix=trent+dou%2Caps%2C119&sr=8-3

We ask him how we know things, what counts as good evidence, what the definition of opinion and knowledge is, is “publish or perish” good for Higher Education , how does one make it as a professional philosopher , and whether sense experience is required for having knowledge . He lists some of the great names in his journey, including Edmund Gettier, the three “RF”s –Richard Fumerton, Richard Foley, and his dissertation chair Richard Feldman–who were almost as important as the late, great Roderick Chisholm.

Enjoy also the personal anecdotes in the last half where he shares how he became interested in Philosophy after his conversion to Christianity from paganism, and how he got interested in Epistemology in particular.

Welcome, Dr. Dougherty !

The Republican Professor Podcast Team