Question

How does Milton prove that the shrimpers may have misidentified Kya?

Answer 1

Milton might argue that the shrimpers' identification of Kya is not reliable knowledge due to Gettier problems where true beliefs may arise from deceptive circumstances. The shrimpers could have been subject to misidentification much like one might mistake a mirage for water, or observe a real barn among many facades by chance.

Step-by-step explanation:

How Milton proves that the shrimpers may have misidentified Kya on the philosophical concept of epistemological discussion regarding knowledge and belief. Gettier problems illustrate scenarios where individuals have justified beliefs that are true, but their truth is based on faulty logic or deception, hence lacking in knowledge. Milton's argument may revolve around the shrimpers' perception possibly being deceived or that their justification for identifying Kya might not be connected appropriately to reliable evidence—indicating that their belief, while potentially true, does not equate to knowledge.

Specifically, by using the analogy of 'fake barn country' where an individual might see a real barn amid many facades and believe they've seen a barn, though it would be largely due to chance, aligns with Milton's position. If the shrimpers had witnessed Kya or someone resembling her from a distance, under poor conditions, or in a context filled with potential for misidentification (akin to mistaking a mirage for water in the desert), then their belief that they saw Kya would not be reliable. Therefore, Milton could argue that without robust, direct, and unambiguous evidence, the shrimpers' identification is not beyond reasonable doubt.

Answer 2

Milton's proof of potential misidentification relates to philosophical concepts demonstrating that true belief can still be faulty if based on luck or erroneous information, especially when evidence lacks direct connectivity to belief and witnesses are not produced.

Step-by-step explanation:

How Milton proves that the shrimpers may have misidentified Kya can be explained through philosophical concepts that relate to knowledge and belief. One such concept is the Gettier problem, which suggests that having justified true belief may still not qualify as knowledge due to lucky circumstances or errors. In cases like Henry's observation of the real barn among facades, even accurate identification is not immune to doubt because of the presence of many indistinguishable counterfeit objects which could easily lead to misidentification.

Furthermore, the lack of evidence such as the failure to produce the fishermen who alleged to have seen Kya, as mentioned in the excerpts, casts doubt on the reliability of the identification. The absence of connectivity between the true belief and the evidence used to support it makes the case for misidentification stronger. Harman’s theory suggests that for a belief to be knowledge, it cannot go through false steps, which might have been the case with the shrimper's identification of Kya.