Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Why coherence is not enough', 'Intro to Contemporary Epistemology' and 'The Metaphysics of Causation'

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2 ideas

11. Knowledge Aims / B. Certain Knowledge / 1. Certainty
A pupil who lacks confidence may clearly know something but not be certain of it [Dancy,J]
     Full Idea: Why isn't certainty required for knowledge? Because we are often prepared to allow that someone does in fact have knowledge when the person is so uncertain they would not claim knowledge for themselves (the 'diffident schoolboy').
     From: Jonathan Dancy (Intro to Contemporary Epistemology [1985], 2.1)
11. Knowledge Aims / B. Certain Knowledge / 3. Fallibilism
If senses are fallible, then being open to correction is an epistemological virtue [Dancy,J]
     Full Idea: In my view, once we admit that our beliefs about our sensory states are not infallible, incorrigibility would be a vice rather than a virtue.
     From: Jonathan Dancy (Intro to Contemporary Epistemology [1985], 4.3)
     A reaction: This seems to be axiomatic among modern philosophers, and I certainly agree with it.