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Single Idea 8830

[from 'What is Justified Belief?' by Alvin I. Goldman, in 13. Knowledge Criteria / A. Justification Problems / 3. Internal or External / a. Pro-internalism ]

Full Idea

A characteristic case in which a belief is justified though the cognizer doesn't know that it's justified is where the original evidence for the belief has long since been forgotten.

Gist of Idea

A belief can be justified when the person has forgotten the evidence for it

Source

Alvin I. Goldman (What is Justified Belief? [1976], II)

Book Reference

'Epistemology - An Anthology', ed/tr. Sosa,E. /Kim,J. [Blackwell 2000], p.348


A Reaction

This is a central problem for any very literal version of internalism. The fully rationalist view (to which I incline) will be that the cognizer must make a balanced assessment of whether they once had the evidence. Were my teachers any good?