Single Idea 10341

[catalogued under 13. Knowledge Criteria / C. External Justification / 6. Contextual Justification / a. Contextualism]

Full Idea

How a claim (about an X-ray) needs to be justified depends on whether one is confronted by a group of laypersons, or of experts, and is prescribed by one's social role.

Gist of Idea

Justification depends on the audience and one's social role

Source

Martin Kusch (Knowledge by Agreement [2002], Ch. 8)

Book Reference

Kusch,Martin: 'Knowledge by Agreement' [OUP 2004], p.100


A Reaction

I think this is exactly right. I cannot think of any absolute criterion for justification which doesn't play straight into the hands of sceptics. Final and certain justification is an incoherent notion. But I am a little more individualistic than Kusch.