The Epistemology of G. E. Moore

This book limits its examination to those works of Moore which are primarily epistemological in nature. Moore’s ethical views are specifically omitted from consideration here, except insofar as they illustrate some epistemological point. Klemke relies primarily upon the original writings themselves, and the topics he considers are arranged under three main headings. – In Part One, he discusses problems which are methodological in nature : Moore’s notion of philosophy, his appeal to common sense, the place of ordinary language, the meanings of «meaning», and various kinds of analysis. – In Part Two, Klemke takes up such topics as the kinds of knowledge which Moore finds possible, theories of truth, and the relation of consciousness to knowledge. – In Part Three, it is dealt with a specific epistemological problem, perception, about which Moore wrote many papers. – Contents : – Part One, «Philosophical method» : Chapter I, What is philosophy ?; Chapter II, The appeal to common sense; Chapter III, Ordinary language; Chapter IV, The meanings of “meaning”; Chapter V, Analysis. – Part Two, «Knowing about knowing» : Chapter VI, The ways of knowing; Chapter VII, Consciousness and knowledge; Chapter VIII, Truth and falsity. – Part Three, «The problem of perception» : Chapter IX, Perception and the external world; Chapter X, The introduction of sense-data; Chapter XI, The problem of perception and its solution. M.-M. V.