What's the Point of Knowledge?: A Function-First Epistemology

This book is about knowledge and its value. At its heart is a straightforward idea: we can answer many interesting and difficult questions in epistemology by reflecting on the role of epistemic evaluation in human life.

To Hannon, the concept of knowledge is used to identify reliable informants; this practice is necessary, or at least deeply important, because it plays a vital role in human survival, cooperation, and flourishing.

This book casts new light on the very nature and value of knowledge, the differences between knowledge and understanding, and the relationship between knowledge, assertion, and practical reasoning. It also forges new paths into some classic philosophical puzzles, including the Gettier problem, epistemic relativism, and philosophical skepticism. What's the Point of Knowledge? shows that pivotal issues in philosophy can be resolved by taking a function-first approach, demonstrating the significant role that this method can play in contemporary philosophy.