Single Idea 19697

[catalogued under 11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 4. Belief / a. Beliefs]

Full Idea

A reason has a 'basing relation' with a belief if it (i) rationally supports holding the belief, and (ii) explains why the belief is held.

Gist of Idea

The basing relation of a reason to a belief should both support and explain the belief

Source

Ram Neta (The Basing Relation [2011], Intro)

Book Reference

'Routledge Companion to Epistemology', ed/tr. Bernecker,S/Pritchard,D [Routledge 2014], p.110


A Reaction

Presumably a false reason would fit this account. Why not talk of 'grounding', or is that word now reserved for metaphysics? If I hypnotise you into a belief, would my hypnotic power be the basing reason? Fits (ii), but not (i).