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Full Idea
Getting knowledge can be a matter either of reaching more truths or of gaining understanding of truths already believed. So it may be a way of increasing either the quality of true belief (cognitive contact with reality) or the quantity.
Gist of Idea
Knowledge either aims at a quantity of truths, or a quality of understanding of truths
Source
Linda Trinkaus Zagzebski (Virtues of the Mind [1996], III 2.1)
Book Ref
Zagzebski,Linda: 'Virtues of the Mind' [CUP 1996], p.269
A Reaction
I'm not sure how one would increase understanding of currently believed truths if it didn't involve adding some new truths to the collection. There is only the discovery of connections or structures, but those are new facts.
| 4421 | Philosophers have never asked why there is a will to truth in the first place [Nietzsche] |
| 18974 | Truth is a species of good, being whatever proves itself good in the way of belief [James] |
| 19569 | We have a basic epistemic duty to believe truth and avoid error [Chisholm, by Kvanvig] |
| 20222 | Knowledge either aims at a quantity of truths, or a quality of understanding of truths [Zagzebski] |
| 19568 | Making sense of things, or finding a good theory, are non-truth-related cognitive successes [Kvanvig] |