Knowing How

There is quite a lot of recent work on procedural knowledge, and in class Friday we only touched the tip of the iceberg. (As is often the case, the rabbit holes run very deep with philosophical issues, and we don't have time to pursue them fully in class.) Recent literature on know-how largely stems from reactions to Jason Stanley and Timothy Williamson's 2001 paper, "Knowing How", though the debate is, of course, an ancient one. Stanley and Williamson, unlike Feldman, and contrary to the views expressed in class, defend the view that procedural knowledge is simply a species of propositional knowledge!

A decade of debate later, a paper published this year by Jason Stanley, "Knowing (How)" revisits the case made in the 2001 paper and the criticisms raised against it.

For a brief overview of the issues, see Jeremy Fantl's "Knowing-How and Knowing-That". (Accessible through U of M libraries.)

Further thoughts on know-how?