Single Idea 6596

[catalogued under 13. Knowledge Criteria / B. Internal Justification / 5. Coherentism / a. Coherence as justification]

Full Idea

Coherentists argue that if the circle of justifications is big enough, rich enough, coherent enough, and so on, then there is nothing wrong circularity.

Gist of Idea

For coherentists, circularity is acceptable if the circle is large, rich and coherent

Source

Robert Fogelin (Walking the Tightrope of Reason [2003], Ch.4)

Book Reference

Fogelin,Robert: 'Walking the Tightrope of Reason' [OUP 2004], p.120


A Reaction

There must always be something wrong with circularity, and no god would put up with it, but we might have to. Of course, two pieces of evidence might be unconnected, such as an equation and an observation.