Single Idea 12900

[catalogued under 13. Knowledge Criteria / C. External Justification / 6. Contextual Justification / b. Invariantism]

Full Idea

How can it be that a sentence like 'George knows that he has hands', even with time and references fixed, does not have a fixed propositional content?

Gist of Idea

How could 'S knows he has hands' not have a fixed content?

Source

Kent Bach (The Emperor's New 'Knows' [2005], I)

Book Reference

'Contextualism in Philosophy', ed/tr. Preyer,G /Peter, G [OUP 2005], p.56


A Reaction

The appeal is to G.E. Moore's common sense view of immediate knowledge (Idea 6349). The reply is simply that the word 'knows' shifts its meaning, having high standards in sceptical philosophy classes, and low standards on the street.

Related Idea

Idea 6349 I can prove a hand exists, by holding one up, pointing to it, and saying 'here is one hand' [Moore,GE]