Internalism/Externalism : Understanding/Knowledge

["none of your business" <akosua_b@hotmail.com>]

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Dear All,

I?ve just figured out that the debate between the internalism and 
externalist if confused. That is the internalist is conflates knowledge and 
understanding. My view is premised on a clear distinction between knowledge 
and understanding. I think their difference comes out when we consider that 
I can know X without understanding X.

E.g A group of people are taught how to distinguish male chicks from female 
chicks. They are taught by a process of correction, until they are 100% 
accurate. (Brandon?s chicken sexers examples) Brandon claims that the 
chicken sexers know the difference between make and female chicks. McDowell 
says that they do not know.

It seems to me that they DO know the diff between make and female chick, 
they have demonstrated that knowledge in there 100% consistent behaviour. 
even if they do not know how they know, they know.

Now, although they know how to distinguish male from female chicks, no one 
would allow that they understand how they do this. When asked, the chicken 
sexers shrug. They can give no reason, or explanation of their ability. 
McDowell, being an internalist, takes this to be a tell tail sign that they 
have no knowledge. But really, it?s a tell tail sigh that they lack 
Understanding.

It struck me, then that the extra requirements that the internalist adds (S 
must be aware of the justification, S must be aware that the justification 
is reliable, S must be aware of a believe etc) are not conditions for 
Knowledge. They are conditions for Understanding. Now understanding entails 
knowledge, but not vice versa. IF the chickens sexers understand that they 
had been trained to recognize the smell let off by new born chics, and that 
that smell is what distinguishes male chicks from female chicks, they would 
know how to distinguish male from female chicks, in virtue of their 
understanding.

Just a thought. What do you?all think.

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