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Single Idea 12901
[filed under theme 13. Knowledge Criteria / C. External Justification / 6. Contextual Justification / b. Invariantism
]
Full Idea
Contextualism seems to predict that if you encounter a knowledge attribution out of context you won't be in a position to grasp which proposition the sentence expresses.
Gist of Idea
If contextualism is right, knowledge sentences are baffling out of their context
Source
Kent Bach (The Emperor's New 'Knows' [2005], I)
Book Ref
'Contextualism in Philosophy', ed/tr. Preyer,G /Peter, G [OUP 2005], p.61
A Reaction
It is only the word 'knows' which is at issue in the sentence. If someone is said to 'know' about the world of the fairies, we might well be puzzled as to what proposition was being expressed. Is the word 'flat' baffling out of context?
The
24 ideas
from Kent Bach
12900
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How could 'S knows he has hands' not have a fixed content?
[Bach]
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12901
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If contextualism is right, knowledge sentences are baffling out of their context
[Bach]
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12902
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Sceptics aren't changing the meaning of 'know', but claiming knowing is tougher than we think
[Bach]
|
10439
|
What refers: indefinite or definite or demonstrative descriptions, names, indexicals, demonstratives?
[Bach]
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10440
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An object can be described without being referred to
[Bach]
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10446
|
Fictional reference is different inside and outside the fiction
[Bach]
|
10441
|
If we can refer to things which change, we can't be obliged to single out their properties
[Bach]
|
10447
|
We can refer to fictional entities if they are abstract objects
[Bach]
|
10442
|
We can think of an individual without have a uniquely characterizing description
[Bach]
|
10443
|
You 'allude to', not 'refer to', an individual if you keep their identity vague
[Bach]
|
10444
|
Definite descriptions can be used to refer, but are not semantically referential
[Bach]
|
10445
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It can't be real reference if it could refer to some other thing that satisfies the description
[Bach]
|
10455
|
Free logic at least allows empty names, but struggles to express non-existence
[Bach]
|
10453
|
In logic constants play the role of proper names
[Bach]
|
10454
|
In first-order we can't just assert existence, and it is very hard to deny something's existence
[Bach]
|
10456
|
Millian names struggle with existence, empty names, identities and attitude ascription
[Bach]
|
10452
|
Proper names can be non-referential - even predicate as well as attributive uses
[Bach]
|
10457
|
Since most expressions can be used non-referentially, none of them are inherently referential
[Bach]
|
10459
|
Context does not create reference; it is just something speakers can exploit
[Bach]
|
10460
|
'That duck' may not refer to the most obvious one in the group
[Bach]
|
10458
|
People slide from contextual variability all the way to contextual determination
[Bach]
|
10461
|
What a pronoun like 'he' refers back to is usually a matter of speaker's intentions
[Bach]
|
10462
|
Information comes from knowing who is speaking, not just from interpretation of the utterance
[Bach]
|
10463
|
Just alluding to or describing an object is not the same as referring to it
[Bach]
|