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The Gettier problem is considered a problem in modern epistemology issuing from counter-examples to the definition of knowledge as justified true belief (JTB). The problem owes its name to a three-page paper published in 1963, by Edmund Gettier, called "Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?", in which Gettier argues that this is not necessarily the case. Although conducted in esoteric style by academic philosophers, the basic issue is one that everyone is able to relate to - when does a fact become 'a fact', and when is it merely 'opinion'? Conventionally speaking, we count something as knowledge not only if someone believes it to be true, and 'in fact' it is true, but they must also have reasons for their belief. Indeed, the definition of what counts as a 'reason' is itself complicated, as we feel the reason must be 'relevant', and itself based on 'facts' not merely irrational beliefs. One of the clearer scenarios, known as The Cow in the Field, illustrates the situation when the reasoning held for a belief turns out 'in fact' to be faulty. Farmer Field is concerned about his prize cow, Daisy. In fact, he is so concerned that when his dairyman tells him that Daisy is in the field, happily grazing, he says he needs to know for certain. He doesn't want merely to have a 99 percent probability that Daisy is safe, he wants to be able to say that he knows Daisy is safe. Farmer Field goes out to the field and standing by the gate sees in the distance, behind some trees, a white and black shape that he recognizes as his favorite cow. He goes back to the dairy and tells his friend that he knows Daisy is in the field. Yet, at this point, does Farmer Field really know it?
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