Knowledge by Acquaintance vs. Description
Updated 2026-09-10
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
The distinction between acquaintance and description is most obviously associated with Bertrand Russell, but it is also a key component of classical foundationalism. Inferential or non-basic knowledge of a proposition depends on knowledge of other propositions; non-inferential basic knowledge does not depend on any other knowledge in that way. Acquaintance is meant to supply such a basis.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Separate sources: tell whether a conclusion comes from direct experience or from someone else's description. - Check reference: verify that a description uniquely picks out its object, preventing misidentification. - Anchor arguments: fasten a chain of inference to acquaintance so that knowledge has a starting point.
Anchor fast decisions
Acquaintance is a direct relation between thinker and given, in which what is given enters consciousness without the mediation of description or inference; knowledge by description reaches its object indirectly through a definite description such as the thing that is thus and so. Foundationalists hope to rest non-inferential knowledge on acquaintance and thereby end the regress of justification.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
account_treeGenealogyexpand_more
menu_bookReferencesexpand_more
Source support: Explicit
- plato.stanford.eduhttps://plato.stanford.edu/entries/knowledge-acquaindescrip/verified
PRIVATE NOTES · Only visible to you
SAVED Q&A
ENTRY Q&A · Private saving available
Ask with a clear boundary
thinkingmodels answers from published entry context only.
Your question is sent to thinkingmodels. The answer uses public entry context only.
RELATED MODELS