Single Idea 9126

[catalogued under 13. Knowledge Criteria / B. Internal Justification / 5. Coherentism / b. Pro-coherentism]

Full Idea

Bayesians demonstrate that a self-correcting agent can build an imposing edifice of near-certain knowledge from numerous beliefs that are only slightly more probable than not.

Clarification

See under Scientific Reasoning|Induction for 'Bayesians'

Gist of Idea

Bayesians build near-certainty from lots of reasonably probable beliefs

Source

Roy Sorensen (Vagueness and Contradiction [2001], 6.1)

Book Reference

Sorensen,Roy: 'Vagueness and Contradiction' [OUP 2004], p.96


A Reaction

This strikes me as highly significant for the coherence account of justification, even if one is sceptical about the arithmetical approach to belief of Bayesianism. It seems obvious that lots of quite likely facts build towards certainty, Watson.