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Single Idea 22325

[filed under theme 13. Knowledge Criteria / C. External Justification / 3. Reliabilism / a. Reliable knowledge ]

Full Idea

I have always said that a belief was knowledge if it was 1) true, ii) certain, iii) obtained by a reliable process.

Gist of Idea

A belief is knowledge if it is true, certain and obtained by a reliable process

Source

Frank P. Ramsey (The Foundations of Mathematics [1925], p.258), quoted by Michael Potter - The Rise of Analytic Philosophy 1879-1930 66 'Rel'

Book Ref

Potter,Michael: 'The Rise of Anaytic Philosophy 1879-1930' [Routledge 2020], p.431


A Reaction

Not sure why it has to be 'certain' as well as 'true'. It seems that 'true' is objective, and 'certain' subjective. I think I know lots of things of which I am not fully certain. Reliabilism long preceded Alvin Goldman.

Related Idea

Idea 22326 Knowledge needs more than a sensitive response; the response must also be appropriate [Russell]


The 8 ideas from 'The Foundations of Mathematics'

Either 'a = b' vacuously names the same thing, or absurdly names different things [Ramsey]
Formalists neglect content, but the logicists have focused on generalizations, and neglected form [Ramsey]
Formalism is hopeless, because it focuses on propositions and ignores concepts [Ramsey]
Reducibility: to every non-elementary function there is an equivalent elementary function [Ramsey]
Infinity: there is an infinity of distinguishable individuals [Ramsey]
Contradictions are either purely logical or mathematical, or they involved thought and language [Ramsey]
I just confront the evidence, and let it act on me [Ramsey]
A belief is knowledge if it is true, certain and obtained by a reliable process [Ramsey]