Single Idea 8843

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

Full Idea

Pure coherentists claim that a belief can only be justified by its relations to other beliefs; impure coherentists are willing to give some non-beliefs, such as perceptual experiences, a justifying role.

Gist of Idea

Impure coherentists accept that perceptions can justify, unlike pure coherentists

Source

James Pryor (There is immediate Justification [2005], §4)

Book Reference

'Contemporary Debates in Epistemology', ed/tr. Steup,M/Sosa,E [Blackwell 2005], p.185


A Reaction

I think I would vote for the pure version. The distinction that is needed, I think, is between justification and evidence. You have to surmise causal links and explanations before you can see an experience as evidence, and then justification.