Single Idea 8851

[catalogued under 13. Knowledge Criteria / A. Justification Problems / 2. Justification Challenges / a. Agrippa's trilemma]

Full Idea

From the point of view of the coherentist, Agrippa's Dilemma fails because it presupposes a 'linear' conception of justifying inference.

Clarification

For Agrippa's Trilemma, see Idea 8850

Gist of Idea

Coherentists say that regress problems are assuming 'linear' justification

Source

Michael Williams (Without Immediate Justification [2005], §2)

Book Reference

'Contemporary Debates in Epistemology', ed/tr. Steup,M/Sosa,E [Blackwell 2005], p.206


A Reaction

[He cites Bonjour 1985 for this view] Since a belief may have several justifications, and one belief could justify a host of others, there certainly isn't a simple line of justifications. I agree with the coherentist picture here.