betterthinkers

Your friend tells you the score of the football game. He did not watch the game, he just overheard the score from someone on the bus who was talking to his friend. Apparently, the Rockets broke the tie in the 89th minute and won 3-2.

Do you know the score?

Traditionally, in epistemology (the study of knowledge), most philosophers would say you have knowledge if you directly experience an event that happens. For instance, you believe your friend Sara loves Oreo cookies because she has told you so, and you see her eat Oreos everyday at lunch with total elation. You have directly perceived and been told directly by Sara that she loves Oreos.

Unless Sara is acting for some subversive reason (unknown to you) we can confidently say she love Oreo cookies. You know Sara loves Oreos.

For the score of the football game, this is not necessarily the case. It seems you might need to confirm what the score was from other sources. Perhaps other friends who watched the game on television, or checking the score on your favorite sports website. But even these sources do not give you direct experience in knowing the score.

What do you think? Would you know that the rockets won 3-2?