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Ideas for 'Parmenides', 'Elbow Room: varieties of free will' and 'An Introduction to Political Philosophy (Rev)'

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13. Knowledge Criteria / C. External Justification / 2. Causal Justification

3795	Causal theories require the "right" sort of link (usually unspecified) [Dennett]
	Full Idea: In causal theories of knowledge and reference, the causal chain between object and thought must be of the "right" sort - the nature of rightness to be specified later, typically.
	From: Daniel C. Dennett (Elbow Room: varieties of free will [1984], §3.3 n14)
	A reaction: This is now the standard objection to a purely causal account of reference. Which of the many causal chains causes the meaning? Knowledge of maths is a further problem for it.