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Full Idea
When we ask whether a belief is justified, we want to know whether it is all right to believe it. The question we must ask is 'when is it permissible (epistemically) to believe P?'.
Gist of Idea
What we want to know is - when is it all right to believe something?
Source
John L. Pollock (Epistemic Norms [1986], 'Ep.Norms')
Book Ref
'Epistemology - An Anthology', ed/tr. Sosa,E. /Kim,J. [Blackwell 2000], p.192
A Reaction
Nice to see someone trying to get the question clear. The question clearly points to the fact that there must at least be some sort of social aspect to criteria of justification. I can't cheerfully follow my intuitions if everyone else laughs at them.
| 1923 | As a guide to action, true opinion is as good as knowledge [Plato] |
| 2140 | True belief without knowledge is like blind people on the right road [Plato] |
| 174 | True opinion without reason is midway between wisdom and ignorance [Plato] |
| 2089 | An inadequate rational account would still not justify knowledge [Plato] |
| 8331 | To know something we need understanding, which is grasp of the primary cause [Aristotle] |
| 22759 | Fools, infants and madmen may speak truly, but do not know [Sext.Empiricus] |
| 19517 | Believing without a reason may just be love of your own fantasies [Locke] |
| 12898 | Justification is neither sufficient nor necessary for knowledge [Lewis] |
| 8811 | What we want to know is - when is it all right to believe something? [Pollock] |
| 19734 | If value is practical, knowledge is no better than true opinion [Greco] |
| 6800 | Many philosophers rate justification as a more important concept than knowledge [Bird] |
| 19539 | If knowledge is unanalysable, that makes justification more important [Dougherty/Rysiew] |