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Single Idea 13112

[from 'First-Order Modal Logic' by M Fitting/R Mendelsohn, in 4. Formal Logic / D. Modal Logic ML / 5. Epistemic Logic ]

Full Idea

In epistemic logic the knower is treated as logically omniscient. This is puzzling because one then cannot know something and yet fail to know that one knows it (the Principle of Positive Introspection).

Gist of Idea

In epistemic logic knowers are logically omniscient, so they know that they know

Source

M Fitting/R Mendelsohn (First-Order Modal Logic [1998], 1.11)

Book Reference

Fitting,M/Mendelsohn,R: 'First-Order Modal Logic' [Synthese 1998], p.28


A Reaction

This is nowadays known as the K-K Problem - to know, must you know that you know. Broadly, we find that externalists say you don't need to know that you know (so animals know things), but internalists say you do need to know that you know.