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The Presocratic philosopher Empedocles claimed, "Each person believes only their own experience." Do you agree with this? Can we know something for certain that we have not experienced? What counts as certainty?

A) Strongly agree
B) Agree
C) Disagree
D) Strongly disagree

User Kaboom
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1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

The question of whether we can know something for certain that we have not experienced is a complex one. While personal experience is important, it is not the sole basis for knowledge, and we can know things for certain that we have not personally experienced through other means such as reasoning, testimony, and scientific experiments.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question of whether we can know something for certain that we have not experienced is a complex one. Empedocles claimed that each person believes only their own experience, suggesting that knowledge is limited to our own personal experiences. However, this perspective overlooks the possibility of acquiring knowledge through other means, such as logical reasoning, testimony from reliable sources, or scientific experiments. While personal experience is valuable, it is not the only source of knowledge, and we can indeed know things for certain that we have not personally experienced.

As for what counts as certainty, it is important to distinguish between subjective certainty and objective certainty. Subjective certainty refers to a high level of personal conviction, but it does not necessarily correspond to objective truth. Objective certainty, on the other hand, implies that a proposition is true beyond any doubt or dispute. Achieving objective certainty can be challenging, as it often requires rigorous empirical evidence, logical consistency, and widespread agreement among experts in the relevant field.

In summary, I would choose option D) Strongly disagree with Empedocles' claim. While personal experience is important, it is not the sole basis for knowledge, and we can know things for certain that we have not personally experienced. Objective certainty is achieved through rigorous evidence and expert consensus.

User Paul Cager
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