The cow in the field problem

The cow in the field problem is a philosophical puzzle that challenges the traditional definition of knowledge as justified true belief. It is an example of a Gettier problem, named after Edmund Gettier who proposed it in 1963. The problem goes like this:

A farmer sees that his cow is missing and goes out to look for it. He sees a black and white splotch in the nearby field and believes that his cow is there. However, the splotch is actually a large piece of paper blown by the wind. His cow is hidden behind a hill in the same field, so he cannot see it. His belief that his cow is in the field is true and justified by his observation, but it is not based on the actual evidence of his cow. He has accidentally arrived at the right conclusion by faulty reasoning.

The problem shows that having a justified true belief is not enough for having knowledge, because one can be right by luck or coincidence. There may be other factors or conditions that are required for knowledge, such as causal connection, reliability, or absence of defeaters.

Design thinking is a creative problem-solving process that involves empathy, ideation, prototyping, and testing.  Design thinkers use the cow in the field problem to illustrate the importance of questioning assumptions and verifying evidence when trying to understand a user’s needs and challenges.  The problem shows that having a justified true belief is not enough for having knowledge, because one can be right by luck or coincidence. There may be other factors or conditions that are required for knowledge, such as causal connection, reliability, or absence of defeaters. Design thinkers can use the Gettier problem to improve their design process by seeking multiple sources of information, testing their hypotheses, and being open to feedback and iteration.