Is True Knowledge Possible Using Justified True Belief (JTB)?

Introduction 

For a considerable duration, there was a widely accepted notion that Justified True Belief (JTB) was able to capture the concept of knowledge. Nevertheless, in 1963, the publication by Edmund Gettier of a short and considerably influential article that has helped in influencing and shaping several subsequent work and achievement in the area of epistemology. In that respect, two examples came into consideration where a person was having justified and trues belief, but there was the tendency to deny that the person is knowledgeable since lack appears to play a role in influencing his belief to be true. Gettier was able to present two cases where the inference if a true belief can be achievable from the justification of a false belief (Turri, 2010). In that respect, the observation made indicated that, intuitively, these beliefs could not qualify to be considered as knowledge since they are correct by mere luck. 

Thesis 

I believe that true knowledge is possible using Justified True Belief because one can have a good reason for his or her belief even though it may not be true. Those in support of the possibility of real knowledge using Justified True Belief (JTB) often argue that the person charged with the responsibility of performing specific skills does not hold any belief regarding what he or she is doing while at it. Nonetheless, it is not easy to understand the manner in which knowledge can be part of a particular activity happening. Presumably, the application of knowledge may not be easily achieved to specific activities as it may happen to cognition. It may be possible to create a skill as a rough activity whose typical performance does not have any link with adults but which is understood and enhanced through different steps with varying techniques and levels of expertise (Leeser, 2016). Furthermore, there exists valuable cognitive attainment associated with acquiring, using and perfecting a skill. Using a skill may be recognized through objectives whose achievements may be found to be successful whenever the expertise and efficacy used are evaluated accordingly. 

Additionally, the proponents of the view that knowledge is possible using Justified True Belief (JTB) consider the desires and beliefs included in a successful process of exercising skills as generally justified and correct. The implication of such a position to the Justified True Belief (JTB) definition and understanding of knowledge is that there may be a little undermining of such a definition through referring to skill as knowledge (Leeser, 2016). Considering that skill and knowledge are not entirely non-propositional, the account made by JTB skill appears to be relevant in the explanation of the nature of differences in knowledge and skills. Notably, the challenge facing the manner in which Justified True Belief accounts for knowledge concerning skills is whether sufficient sense and understanding can be attainable from it as opposed to whether an exhaustive explanation, may be offered in propositional language. 

Antithesis 

Some do not believe that true knowledge in possible using Justified True Belief (JTB), they believe that knowledge does not have to be true. Further, others have advanced the argument that the requirement of knowledge should entail justification which is not an implication that absolute certainty is necessary for knowledge. Nonetheless, humans often appear as fallible beings in the sense that there is a possibility of knowledge existing even in cases where the belief held by an individual emanates from outright falsehood. Between certain beliefs that have relationships with some level of truthfulness and those that depend on the existence of a spectrum of beliefs, some defeasible reasons supporting the belief that there would be truth in them. For instance, if one hears the weatherman saying that there is a ninety percent likelihood that it would and then forms a belief that the rain would come, then the true belief of having rainfall cannot be said to have a pure connection with luck (Artemov, 2018). Even if there is a certain level of possibility that this kind of belief might contain some level of falsehood, there is an adequate basis for this kind of belief to be seen as constituting knowledge. Such an assumption may be describable as a justification for that particular belief. Thus it can be said that forming knowledge requires an idea to be justified and true. 

Notably, the presence of knowledge can make a belief to be unjustified despite being true. Moreover, the aspect of human fallibility can cause the justification of a belief even though it may be false. This state of affairs implies that reasons and truth will tend to appear as an independent condition that always influences beliefs. The fact that there is truth in a belief does not confirm whether is justified or not. In that respect, the justification is dependent on the manner in which the belief operates. Therefore, it is possible for two people to hold one true belief for entirely different reasons whereby one of them may be justified whereas the other one is not warranted (Turri, 2010). Besides, the justification of a belief does not necessarily confirm its falsehood or truthfulness. Of course, some philosophers always argue that a justified belief is presumed to have a higher likelihood of being true than being false. True knowledge is indeed possible using Justified True Belief (JTB) since there is no alternative way through which knowledge can be used to provide an adequate account of skill as well as the overall explanation of JTB. 

Synthesis 

In considering the opposing arguments, true knowledge is possible using Justified True Belief. Theoretically, Justified True Belief (JTB) attempts to ensure the existence of a provision that has a relationship with relevant and sufficient conditions under which an individual may be considered to know something. Those supporting the possibility of true knowledge using Justified True Belief (JTB) indicate that all knowledge requires some level of reasoning. Moreover, transmission or transfer of knowledge may happen from one individual to another which forms part of the justification that certain beliefs may have truthfulness. There exist different kinds of knowledge about how something can be done, for example, knowing how to drive a car, knowing a place and having personal knowledge of someone. The concept of presenting knowledge as a justified true belief may have an association the proposal by Plato. According to this proposal, some people will require some level of the justification for them to believe in something (Artemov, 2018). 

Conclusion 

In summing up, it is clear that true knowledge is possible using Justified True Belief because one can have a good reason for his or her belief even though it may not be true. However, some people do not believe that true knowledge in possible using Justified True Belief (JTB), they believe that knowledge does not have to be true. Notably, exercising of skills may be recognized through objectives whose achievements may be found to be successful if the expertise and efficacy used to obtain an appropriate evaluation. Further, the proponents of the view that knowledge is possible using Justified True Belief (JTB) consider the desires and beliefs included in a successful process of exercising skills as generally justified and true. It is also clear that the justification of a belief does not necessarily confirm its falsehood or truthfulness. 

References 

Artemov, S. (2018). Constructive knowledge and the justified true belief paradigm. Indagationes Mathematicae , 29 (1), 125-134. doi: 10.1016/j.indag.2017.09.012 

Leeser, J. (2016). Justified, True Belief: Is It Relevant to Knowledge?. Auslegung: A Journal Of Philosophy . doi: 10.17161/ajp.1808.9420 

Turri, J. (2010). Is knowledge justified true belief?. Synthese , 184 (3), 247-259. doi: 10.1007/s11229-010-9773-8