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Single Idea 6358
[filed under theme 13. Knowledge Criteria / C. External Justification / 2. Causal Justification
]
Full Idea
If I fall flat on my back running to a class, my belief that I was late for class may cause me to have the belief that there are birds in the trees, but I do not believe the latter on the basis of the former.
Gist of Idea
One belief may cause another, without being the basis for the second belief
Source
J Pollock / J Cruz (Contemporary theories of Knowledge (2nd) [1999], §2.3.1)
Book Ref
Pollock,J.L./Cruz,J: 'Contemporary Theories of Knowledge (2nd)' [Rowman and Littlefield 1999], p.36
A Reaction
A nice example, which fairly conclusively demolishes any causal theory of justification. My example is believing correctly that the phone ring is from mother, because she said she would call. Maybe causation is needed somewhere in the right theory.
The
22 ideas
from 'Contemporary theories of Knowledge (2nd)'
6346
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The main epistemological theories are foundationalist, coherence, probabilistic and reliabilist
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6351
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Most people now agree that our reasoning proceeds defeasibly, rather than deductively
[Pollock/Cruz]
|
6352
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Enumerative induction gives a universal judgement, while statistical induction gives a proportion
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6354
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Coherence theories fail, because they can't accommodate perception as the basis of knowledge
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6355
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Direct realism says justification is partly a function of pure perceptual states, not of beliefs
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6353
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People rarely have any basic beliefs, and never enough for good foundations
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6357
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Reason cannot be an ultimate foundation, because rational justification requires prior beliefs
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6358
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One belief may cause another, without being the basis for the second belief
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6359
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Phenomenalism offered conclusive perceptual knowledge, but conclusive reasons no longer seem essential
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6360
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Scientific confirmation is best viewed as inference to the best explanation
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6361
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Foundationalism requires self-justification, not incorrigibility
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6362
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Sense evidence is not beliefs, because they are about objective properties, not about appearances
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6363
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Foundationalism is wrong, because either all beliefs are prima facie justified, or none are
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6364
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We can't start our beliefs from scratch, because we wouldn't know where to start
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6365
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Negative coherence theories do not require reasons, so have no regress problem
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6366
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Perception causes beliefs in us, without inference or justification
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6367
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Coherence theories isolate justification from the world
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6370
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Externalism comes as 'probabilism' (probability of truth) and 'reliabilism' (probability of good cognitive process)
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6371
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Bayesian epistemology is Bayes' Theorem plus the 'simple rule' (believe P if it is probable)
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6372
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Since every tautology has a probability of 1, should we believe all tautologies?
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6373
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Internalism says if anything external varies, the justifiability of the belief does not vary
[Pollock/Cruz]
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6374
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To believe maximum truths, believe everything; to have infallible beliefs, believe nothing
[Pollock/Cruz]
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