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Single Idea 10331

[from 'Knowledge by Agreement' by Martin Kusch, in 13. Knowledge Criteria / B. Internal Justification / 5. Coherentism / a. Coherence as justification ]

Full Idea

Testimony must be reliable since its deliveries cohere both with input from other information routes in the formation of single beliefs, and with other types of beliefs in the formation of systems of belief.

Gist of Idea

Testimony is reliable if it coheres with evidence for a belief, and with other beliefs

Source

Martin Kusch (Knowledge by Agreement [2002], Ch. 4)

Book Reference

Kusch,Martin: 'Knowledge by Agreement' [OUP 2004], p.38


A Reaction

Kusch criticises this view (credited to C.A.J. Coady 1992) as too individualistic , but it sounds to me dead right. I take a major appeal of the coherence account of justification to be its capacity to extend seamlessly out into external testimony.