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Single Idea 17637

[from 'Regressive Method for Premises in Mathematics' by Bertrand Russell, in 11. Knowledge Aims / B. Certain Knowledge / 3. Fallibilism ]

Full Idea

Even where there is the highest degree of obviousness, we cannot assume that we are infallible - a sufficient conflict with other obvious propositions may lead us to abandon our belief, as in the case of a hallucination afterwards recognised as such.

Gist of Idea

The most obvious beliefs are not infallible, as other obvious beliefs may conflict

Source

Bertrand Russell (Regressive Method for Premises in Mathematics [1907], p.279)

Book Reference

Russell,Bertrand: 'Essays in Analysis', ed/tr. Lackey,Douglas [George Braziller 1973], p.279


A Reaction

This approach to fallibilism seems to arise from the paradox that undermined Frege's rather obvious looking axioms. After Peirce and Russell, fallibilism has become a secure norm of modern thought.