Episode 14. In continuing with the topic of philosophy, we are now going to introduce some epistemological categories. The term epistemology comes from the Greek noun, epistemy, which means knowledge. Simply defined, epistemology deals with the rules of knowing. Another way to define epistemology is that it is our theory of knowledge. Students often confuse this. Epistemology is not knowledge itself. It's not information, but rather it's how we know, we know. Epistemological categories can be seen as our mental tools, or to use a computer metaphor, our epistemology is the mental software and mental hardware that allows us to know and understand. Therefore, everyone has an epistemology, even though they may not know this term. Please turn to page 6 in the handouts. And let's begin by considering some foundational epistemological categories. First, correspondence. This is the notion that knowledge matches external reality. For example, water's wet, it's not dry. Second, coherence. This is the idea that knowledge is internally consistent and without contradictions. For example, I opened this course by stating that I was a Christian, but if I end the course by claiming I'm an atheist, I would be incoherent. And lastly, consilience. This is the epistemological concept that knowledge interconnects and fits tightly into one all-encompassing theory. For example, one of the reasons that I'm an evolutionist is because all the sciences that deal with the origin of the world fit together tightly into one magnificent and consilient theory. Let me push you a bit. Should we limit our epistemological categories simply to correspondence, coherence, and consilience? Or, are there other important categories that we need to consider? For example, could there be religious epistemological categories? A central religious epistemological category deals with the divine foundation of knowledge. This is the idea that all knowledge is ultimately rooted in God. Quote 6 is a biblical verse that is often used by Christians to base their knowledge on God. Proverbs 1:7 states, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." Now there is an issue with the word fear for most of us. This is a 17th century expression that began to appear in the first English Bibles. However, the Hebrew word translated as fear is yireh, and it has many meanings and nuances. Yes, it can mean to be afraid, which is our common definition. But it also means, to be in awe, to marvel, to revere, and to respect. The Hebrew word for knowledge is daat, it can mean facts, which is our common definition. But it also includes practical skills, personal experience, wisdom, discernment and morals. Therefore, the biblical notion of knowledge is rooted ultimately in God and it is relational to God. Knowledge is personal, wide and holistic, and not just facts. In light of this religious epistemological category, let me ask you the question. What is the foundation of your knowledge? Is knowledge ultimately rooted in God or some teleological factor? Or, is your knowledge ultimately based in a brain built for and shaped by a dysteleological evolutionary process, in which there never was any plan for a brain like yours to appear? Another way to understand a brain that arose entirely through a blind chance process is to think of a brain produced by nothing but 4Fs: fighting, fleeing, feeding and fertilizing. In the next episode, we'll consider the implications if our brain has been produced by a dysteleological process. End of episode.