Is understanding reducible?. Issue 2 (7th February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ross, Lewis D.
• Is Part Of: Inquiry. Volume 63:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: 117
• Page End: 135
• Publication Date: 2020-02-07
• Subjects: Understanding -- knowledge -- metaphysics of epistemology -- explanation; Philosophy -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; Philosophy -- Periodicals; Social Sciences -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; Philosophie -- Périodiques; Sciences sociales -- Philosophie -- Périodiques; 105
• DOI: 10.1080/0020174X.2018.1562379
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-174X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Despite playing an important role in epistemology, philosophy of science, and more recently in moral philosophy and aesthetics, the nature of understanding is still much contested. One attractive framework attempts to reduce understanding to other familiar epistemic states. This paper explores and develops a methodology for testing such reductionist theories before offering a counterexample to a recently defended variant on which understanding reduces to what an agent knows.