In This Selection Russell First Distinguishes Between Knowledge by Acquaintance

question 9

Multiple Choice

In this selection Russell first distinguishes between knowledge by acquaintance (e.g., knowledge by appearances, such as "I seem to see a red book," "I am in pain," or "I think, therefore I am") and knowledge by description (knowledge of truths, such as your knowing that you are really seeing a red book or that your pain is caused by having twisted your ankle) . Knowledge by acquaintance is generally thought to be infallible because believing it makes the proposition true. But the same is not the case for descriptive knowledge claims because your beliefs could be false. Thus, descriptive knowledge is dualistic-it has the properties of truth and falsity as opposites-whereas knowledge by acquaintance is monistic and does not admit such opposites. Russell goes on to specify the conditions for an adequate theory of truth and shows how the correspondence theory meets these conditions, whereas the coherence theory does not.
-According to Russell, truth consists of some form of correspondence between

• A) beliefs and statements.
• B) facts and states of affairs.
• C) belief and fact.
• D) belief and truth.

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Definitions:

Short-term Memory

A cognitive function where a limited amount of information is held temporarily for use in ongoing tasks.

Displacement

In psychology, displacement is a defense mechanism that involves shifting feelings from an uncomfortable or threatening target to a more acceptable or less threatening one.

Consolidation

The neurological process by which memories become stabilized and stored in long-term memory after initial acquisition.

Decoding

The process of interpreting and understanding communication symbols and texts, often used in the context of reading and language comprehension.