How We Know — Module Assessment

Question 1

According to the classic account, which three conditions must all hold for a belief to count as knowledge?

Accepted Answer

It is belief, it is true, and it is justified

Answer

It is popular, it is useful, and it feels certain

Answer

It is provable, it is written down, and it is agreed on

Answer

It is logical, it is recent, and it is repeatable

Question 2

What did Edmund Gettier's 1963 paper show about justified true belief?

Accepted Answer

That a belief can be justified and true yet still not count as knowledge, when it is right for the wrong reason

Answer

That knowledge is impossible and we can never really know anything

Answer

That belief and truth matter but justification does not

Answer

That only firsthand perception can ever count as knowledge

Question 3

Why is testimony considered the source most of our knowledge actually comes from?

Accepted Answer

Because nearly everything we know — history, geography, science, even our own birthdate — we learned from other people and records rather than firsthand

Answer

Because testimony is the only source that can never be mistaken

Answer

Because perception, reason, and memory are not really sources of knowledge

Answer

Because reasoning from testimony requires no trust in others

Question 4

What is a key reason not to assume firsthand sources are always more reliable than testimony?

Accepted Answer

Eyewitness perception and memory are famously fallible, while converging, well-checked testimony can be more reliable than a single glimpse

Answer

Firsthand sources are illegal to rely on in most situations

Answer

Testimony is always verified before anyone shares it

Answer

Perception and memory never make mistakes once we are adults

Question 5

According to the correspondence idea, what makes a factual claim true?

Accepted Answer

It matches the way things actually are in the world.

Answer

It fits smoothly with the other beliefs a person already holds.

Answer

It feels convincing to most of the people who hear it.

Answer

It produces useful results when someone acts on it.

Question 6

Which statement best describes the problem with 'everyone has their own truth' when applied to objective facts?

Accepted Answer

It treats disagreement about facts as if it settled who is right, when on a genuine matter of fact at most one contradictory claim can be true.

Answer

It is always harmless, since it only ever refers to matters of taste.

Answer

It proves that objective facts do not exist at all.

Answer

It shows that opinions can never be supported by evidence.

Question 7

Which best describes fallibilism?

Accepted Answer

We can hold beliefs reasonably and act on them while accepting we might be wrong and may need to revise.

Answer

We should believe nothing until it can be proven with complete certainty.

Answer

Every belief is equally uncertain, so none is worth more confidence than another.

Answer

Once we are confident in a belief, revising it would be a sign of weak thinking.

Question 8

In the Meditations, what did Descartes conclude he could not doubt, even imagining a powerful deceiver?

Accepted Answer

That his own existence as a thinking thing was certain whenever he thought.

Answer

That the external world clearly exists as his senses present it.

Answer

That mathematical truths could never be called into question.

Answer

That his memories of the past were fully reliable.

Question 9

What is the core idea of proportioning belief to evidence?

Accepted Answer

The strength of your belief should match the quality of your evidence.

Answer

You should refuse to believe anything until you have absolute proof.

Answer

All beliefs should be held with equal, moderate confidence.

Answer

Beliefs are either true or false, so confidence levels are meaningless.

Question 10

How did William James's "The Will to Believe" (1896) respond to Clifford's rule?

Accepted Answer

He accepted it for ordinary questions but defended a narrow exception for genuine, forced, momentous options.

Answer

He fully agreed that it is always wrong to believe on insufficient evidence.

Answer

He argued that evidence never matters for any belief at all.

Answer

He proved Clifford's position was logically self-contradictory.

Question 11

In the DIKW hierarchy, what best captures the difference between information and knowledge?

Accepted Answer

Information is data given meaning by context; knowledge is information organized and connected so it can be used.

Answer

Information is always false, while knowledge is always true.

Answer

Knowledge is raw symbols, while information adds context to them.

Answer

There is no meaningful difference; the terms are interchangeable.

Question 12

What is Aristotle's phronesis, or practical wisdom?

Accepted Answer

The experience-built judgment to deliberate well and act rightly in particular situations.

Answer

A large store of memorized facts about the world.

Answer

Pure theoretical knowledge of unchanging truths.

Answer

Technical skill at making a specific product.

Question 13

What best captures the central idea of "the examined life" as this lesson uses it?

Accepted Answer

Continually questioning your own beliefs and staying honest about what you do and do not know

Answer

Mastering enough fallacies and biases to spot the flaws in other people's reasoning

Answer

Holding firmly to well-chosen convictions so you are not swayed by others

Answer

Winning debates by out-reasoning your opponents

Question 14

In Plato's "Apology," what is the most accurate account of Socrates' declaration about examination?

Accepted Answer

He declared that the unexamined life is not worth living and refused to abandon his questioning, even facing death

Answer

He argued that the unexamined life is easier and therefore preferable for most people

Answer

He promised the jury he would stop questioning others if they spared his life

Answer

He claimed to possess complete knowledge of justice and virtue