Single Idea 5367

[catalogued under 14. Science / D. Explanation / 3. Best Explanation / a. Best explanation]

Full Idea

The belief that there are objects corresponding to our sense-data tends to simplify and systematize our account of our experiences, so there seems no good reason for rejecting it.

Gist of Idea

Belief in real objects makes our account of experience simpler and more systematic

Source

Bertrand Russell (Problems of Philosophy [1912], Ch. 2)

Book Reference

Russell,Bertrand: 'The Problems of Philosophy' [OUP 1995], p.11


A Reaction

This hardly counts as a good argument against the logical possibility of global scepticism, but it is a nice statement of the concept of 'best explanation', which obviously requires some sort of rational criteria if it is to provide a theory of knowledge.