more from Daniel M. Mittag

Single Idea 19722

[catalogued under 13. Knowledge Criteria / B. Internal Justification / 3. Evidentialism / b. Evidentialism]

Full Idea

While one might understand the proposition entailed by one's evidence, one might have no idea how or why one's evidence entails it. This seems to imply one is not justified in believing the proposition on the basis of one's evidence.

Gist of Idea

We could know the evidence for our belief without knowing why it is such evidence

Source

Daniel M. Mittag (Evidentialism [2011], 'Evidential')

Book Reference

'Routledge Companion to Epistemology', ed/tr. Bernecker,S/Pritchard,D [Routledge 2014], p.171


A Reaction

An example might be seen if a layman tours a physics lab. This looks like a serious problem for evidentialism. Once you see why the evidence entails the proposition, you are getting closer to understanding than to knowledge. Explanation.