Single Idea 19555

[catalogued under 13. Knowledge Criteria / C. External Justification / 6. Contextual Justification / a. Contextualism]

Full Idea

Fluent speakers typically become increasingly hesitant about 'knowledge' attributions as the practical significance of the right answer increases.

Gist of Idea

People begin to doubt whether they 'know' when the answer becomes more significant

Source

Earl Conee (Contextualism Contested (and reply) [2005], 'Epistemic')

Book Reference

'Contemporary Debates in Epistemology (2nd ed)', ed/tr. Steup/Turri/Sosa [Wiley Blackwell 2014], p.65


A Reaction

The standard examples of this phenomenon are in criminal investigations, and in philosophical discussions of scepticism. Simple observations I take to have maximum unshakable confidence, except in extreme global scepticism contexts.