Epistemology and the Regress Problem

Epistemology and the Regress Problem PDF

Author: Scott Aikin

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2010-11-23

Total Pages: 220

ISBN-13: 1136841903

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In the last decade, the familiar problem of the regress of reasons has returned to prominent consideration in epistemology. And with the return of the problem, evaluation of the options available for its solution is begun anew. Reason’s regress problem, roughly put, is that if one has good reasons to believe something, one must have good reason to hold those reasons are good. And for those reasons, one must have further reasons to hold they are good, and so a regress of reasons looms. In this new study, Aikin presents a full case for infinitism as a response to the problem of the regress of reasons. Infinitism is the view that one must have a non-terminating chain of reasons in order to be justified. The most defensible form of infinitism, he argues, is that of a mixed theory – that is, epistemic infinitism must be consistent with and integrate other solutions to the regress problem.

Epistemology and the Regress Problem

Epistemology and the Regress Problem PDF

Author: Scott Aikin

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2010-11-23

Total Pages: 436

ISBN-13: 113684189X

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In the last decade, the familiar problem of the regress of reasons has returned to prominent consideration in epistemology. And with the return of the problem, evaluation of the options available for its solution is begun anew. Reason’s regress problem, roughly put, is that if one has good reasons to believe something, one must have good reason to hold those reasons are good. And for those reasons, one must have further reasons to hold they are good, and so a regress of reasons looms. In this new study, Aikin presents a full case for infinitism as a response to the problem of the regress of reasons. Infinitism is the view that one must have a non-terminating chain of reasons in order to be justified. The most defensible form of infinitism, he argues, is that of a mixed theory – that is, epistemic infinitism must be consistent with and integrate other solutions to the regress problem.

Fading Foundations

Fading Foundations PDF

Author: David Atkinson

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2017-06-26

Total Pages: 238

ISBN-13: 331958295X

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This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license.This book addresses the age-old problem of infinite regresses in epistemology. How can we ever come to know something if knowing requires having good reasons, and reasons can only be good if they are backed by good reasons in turn? The problem has puzzled philosophers ever since antiquity, giving rise to what is often called Agrippa's Trilemma. The current volume approaches the old problem in a provocative and thoroughly contemporary way. Taking seriously the idea that good reasons are typically probabilistic in character, it develops and defends a new solution that challenges venerable philosophical intuitions and explains why they were mistakenly held. Key to the new solution is the phenomenon of fading foundations, according to which distant reasons are less important than those that are nearby. The phenomenon takes the sting out of Agrippa's Trilemma; moreover, since the theory that describes it is general and abstract, it is readily applicable outside epistemology, notably to debates on infinite regresses in metaphysics. The book is a potential game-changer and a must for any advanced student or researcher in the field.

Current Controversies in Epistemology

Current Controversies in Epistemology PDF

Author: Ram Neta

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2014-05-09

Total Pages: 161

ISBN-13: 1136339779

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Epistemology is one of the oldest, yet still one of the most active, areas of philosophical research today. There currently exists many annotated tomes of primary sources, and a handful of single-authored introductions to the field, but there is no book that captures epistemology’s dynamic growth and lively debates for a student audience. In this volume, eight leading philosophers debate four topics central to recent research in epistemology: The A Priori: C. S. I. Jenkins and Michael Devitt The A Posteriori: Richard Fumerton and Nicholas Silins The Regress of Justification: Declan Smithies and Peter Klein Skepticism: Anthony Brueckner and Ernest Sosa Ram Neta’s introduction to the volume, descriptions of each chapter, annotated bibliographies for each controversy, and supplemental guide to further controversies in epistemology (with bibliographies) help provide clearer and richer views of active controversies for all readers.

Fading Foundations

Fading Foundations PDF

Author: David Atkinson

Publisher:

Published: 2020-10-08

Total Pages: 240

ISBN-13: 9781013268526

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This book addresses the age-old problem of infinite regresses in epistemology. How can we ever come to know something if knowing requires having good reasons, and reasons can only be good if they are backed by good reasons in turn? The problem has puzzled philosophers ever since antiquity, giving rise to what is often called Agrippa's Trilemma. The current volume approaches the old problem in a provocative and thoroughly contemporary way. Taking seriously the idea that good reasons are typically probabilistic in character, it develops and defends a new solution that challenges venerable philosophical intuitions and explains why they were mistakenly held. Key to the new solution is the phenomenon of fading foundations, according to which distant reasons are less important than those that are nearby. The phenomenon takes the sting out of Agrippa's Trilemma; moreover, since the theory that describes it is general and abstract, it is readily applicable outside epistemology, notably to debates on infinite regresses in metaphysics. The book is a potential game-changer and a must for any advanced student or researcher in the field. This work was published by Saint Philip Street Press pursuant to a Creative Commons license permitting commercial use. All rights not granted by the work's license are retained by the author or authors.

Problems in Epistemology and Metaphysics

Problems in Epistemology and Metaphysics PDF

Author: Steven B. Cowan

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2020-02-06

Total Pages: 411

ISBN-13: 1350016098

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Problems in Epistemology and Metaphysics takes a pro and con approach to two central philosophical topics. Each chapter begins with a question: Can We Have Knowledge? How are Beliefs Justified? What is the mind? Contemporary philosophers with opposing viewpoints are then paired together to argue their position and raise problems with conflicting standpoints. Alongside an up-to-date introduction to a core philosophical stance, each contributor provides a critical response to their opponent and clear explanation of their view. Discussion questions are included at the end of each chapter to guide further discussion. With chapters covering core questions surrounding religious beliefs, scientific knowledge, truth, being and reality, this is a comprehensive introduction to debates lying at the heart of what we know, how we know it and the nature of the world we live in.

Epistemology

Epistemology PDF

Author: Richard Fumerton

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2009-02-04

Total Pages: 176

ISBN-13: 1405150351

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Epistemology is an accessible and indispensable volume forundergraduates studying philosophy. Essential introduction to epistemology, a field of fundamentalphilosophical importance Offers concise and well-written synopses of differentepistemological debates and concerns

Aspects of Knowing

Aspects of Knowing PDF

Author:

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2006-05-19

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 9780080462691

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Acknowledgements Contributors 1. Introduction: The art of precise epistemology Stephen Hetherington Part A. Epistemology as scientific? 2. A problem about epistemic dependence Tim Oakley 3. Accounting for commitments: A priori knowledge, ontology, and logical entailments Michaelis Michael 4. Epistemic bootstrapping Peter Forrest 5. More praise for Moore’s proof Roger White 6. Lotteries and the Close Shave principle John Collins 7. Skepticism, self-knowledge, and responsibility David Macarthur 8. A reasonable contextualism (or, Austin reprised) A. B. Dickerson 9. Questioning contextualism Brian Weatherson Part B. Understanding knowledge? 10. Truthmaking and the Gettier problem Adrian Heathcote 11. Is knowing having the right to be sure? André Gallois 12. Knowledge by intention? On the possibility of agent’s knowledge Anne Newstead 13. Gettier’s theorem John Bigelow 14. Knowledge that works: A tale of two conceptual models Stephen Hetherington

Ad Infinitum

Ad Infinitum PDF

Author: John Turri

Publisher: OUP Oxford

Published: 2014-06-05

Total Pages: 271

ISBN-13: 019101804X

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Infinitism is an ancient view in epistemology about the structure of knowledge and epistemic justification, according to which there are no foundational reasons for belief. The view has never been popular, and is often associated with skepticism, but after languishing for centuries it has recently begun a resurgence. Ad Infinitum presents new work on the topic by leading epistemologists. They shed new light on infinitism's distinctive strengths and weaknesses, and address questions, new and old, about its account of justification, reasoning, epistemic responsibility, disagreement, and trust, among other important issues. The volume clarifies the relationship between infinitism and other epistemological views, such as skepticism, coherentism, foundationalism and contextualism, and it offers novel perspectives on the metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics of regresses and reasons.

Epistemology

Epistemology PDF

Author: Laurence BonJour

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 346

ISBN-13: 9780742564190

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Volume II of Alan Muir's trilogy GOLDEN GIRLS published before 1923. It may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to ensure edition identification.