Single Idea 4260

[catalogued under 13. Knowledge Criteria / C. External Justification / 10. Anti External Justification]

Full Idea

It may be that where there are no positive grounds for a charge of irrationality, the acceptance of a belief with only external justification is still subjectively irrational in a sense that rules out its being epistemologically justified.

Gist of Idea

Even if there is no obvious irrationality, it may be irrational to base knowledge entirely on external criteria

Source

Laurence Bonjour (Externalist Theories of Empirical Knowledge [1980], §IV)

Book Reference

'Epistemology: Internalism and Externalism', ed/tr. Kornblith,Hilary [Blackwell 2001], p.20


A Reaction

A key objection. Surely rational behaviour requires a judgement to be made before a belief is accepted? If you are consistently clairvoyant, you must ask why.