more from Thomas Nagel

Single Idea 3247

[catalogued under 13. Knowledge Criteria / B. Internal Justification / 2. Pragmatic justification]

Full Idea

The central problem of epistemology is what to believe and how to justify one's beliefs, not the impersonal problem of whether my beliefs can be said to be knowledge.

Gist of Idea

Epistemology is centrally about what we should believe, not the definition of knowledge

Source

Thomas Nagel (The View from Nowhere [1986], V.1)

Book Reference

Nagel,Thomas: 'The View from Nowhere' [OUP 1989], p.69


A Reaction

Wrong. The question of whether what one has is 'knowledge' is not impersonal at all - it is having the social status of a knower or expert.