Single Idea 19516

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

Full Idea

While skepticism has drawn much of the attention of contextualists, support for contextualism should also - and perhaps primarily - be looked for in how 'knows' is utilised in non-philosophical conversation.

Gist of Idea

Contextualists worry about scepticism, but they should focus on the use of 'know' in ordinary speech

Source

Keith DeRose (The Case for Contextualism [2009], 1016)

Book Reference

DeRose,Keith: 'The Case for Contextualism' [OUP 2009], p.42


A Reaction

Contextualists say scepticism is just raising the standards absurdly high. I take it that the ordinary use of the word 'know' is obviously highly contextual, and so varied that I don't see how philosophers could 'regiment' it into invariant form.