The Collaboration of Knowing-How and The Safety Principle

Abstract

Nowadays, the challenge of defining JTB (Justified True Belief) by Gettier's cases has not had a satisfying solution. Considering the difficulties caused by the K =df. True belief + X paradigm, this paper replaces belief with competence as a more fundamental component of knowledge. Moreover, by the way of using the safety principle to illustrate knowing-how,  necessary conditions for knowledge definition are obtained. This paper aligns with Pritchard's anti-luck virtue epistemology, specifically elaborating on the concept of ability-based knowledge as a robust necessary condition for defining knowledge. Therefore, the main findings of this paper are: 1) taking knowing-how as the basic element of knowledge can strengthen the reliability of the knowledge definition and get closer to the essence of knowledge; 2) the safety principle is compatible with knowing-how; 3) the collaboration of the safety principle and knowing-how as a necessary condition for knowledge definition can effectively avoid the Gettier problem. Through establishing a reliable method for testing knowledge, this approach may ultimately deepen readers’ understanding of what knowledge truly entails.