Single Idea 4257

[catalogued under 13. Knowledge Criteria / B. Internal Justification / 4. Foundationalism / b. Basic beliefs]

Full Idea

The fundamental question that must be answered by any acceptable version of foundationalism is: how are basic beliefs possible?

Clarification

'Basic beliefs' are those needing no further justification

Gist of Idea

The big problem for foundationalism is to explain how basic beliefs are possible

Source

Laurence Bonjour (Externalist Theories of Empirical Knowledge [1980], §I)

Book Reference

'Epistemology: Internalism and Externalism', ed/tr. Kornblith,Hilary [Blackwell 2001], p.11


A Reaction

This question seems to be asking for a justification for basic beliefs, which smacks of 'Who made God?' Look, basic beliefs are just basic, right?