Single Idea 21496

[catalogued under 13. Knowledge Criteria / B. Internal Justification / 5. Coherentism / c. Coherentism critique]

Full Idea

Far from guaranteeing a high likelihood of truth by itself, testimonial agreement can apparently do so only if the circumstances are favourable as regards independence, prior probability, and individual credibility.

Gist of Idea

Mere agreement of testimonies is not enough to make truth very likely

Source

Erik J. Olsson (Against Coherence [2005], 1)

Book Reference

Olsson,Erik J.: 'Against Coherence' [OUP 2008], p.2


A Reaction

This is Olson's main thesis. His targets are C.I.Lewis and Bonjour, who hoped that a mere consensus of evidence would increase verisimilitude. I don't see a problem for coherence in general, since his favourable circumstances are part of it.