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Single Idea 303

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

Full Idea

If each of you says how many teeth the other has, and when they are counted we find you do know, we will believe your other claims as well.

Gist of Idea

Say how many teeth the other has, then count them. If you are right, we will trust your other claims

Source

Plato (Euthydemus [c.379 BCE], 294c)

Book Ref

Plato: 'Early Socratic Dialogues', ed/tr. Saunders,Trevor J [Penguin 1987], p.353


A Reaction

This is the clairvoyant problem for reliabilism, if truth is delivered for no apparent reason. Useful, but hardly knowledge. HOW did you know the number of teeth?


The 6 ideas from 'Euthydemus'

Knowing how to achieve immortality is pointless without the knowledge how to use immortality [Plato]
Only knowledge of some sort is good [Plato]
What knowledge is required to live well? [Plato]
Say how many teeth the other has, then count them. If you are right, we will trust your other claims [Plato]
Beautiful things must be different from beauty itself, but beauty itself must be present in each of them [Plato]
Something which lies midway between two evils is better than either of them [Plato]