Test 4: Chapters 6,7 & 8

Question 1

Classical Foundationalism

Answer 1

Theory that there are self-evident principles which are the building blocks of knowledge, from which further truths can be deduced.

Question 2

Basic Belief

Answer 2

A belief that is justified non-inferentially.

Question 3

Non-Basic Belief

Answer 3

A belief justified by basic beliefs.

Question 4

Basic Belief according to Descartes

Answer 4

Belief B is properly basic for person P if B is indubitable or self evidently true for P.

Question 5

Basic Belief according to Empiricist Foundationalists.

Answer 5

Belief B is properly basic if B is indubitable or self-evident to the senses.

Question 6

Fallibilsm

Answer 6

Theory that any of our basic beliefs may turn out to be false.

Question 7

The Regress Problem

Answer 7

Problem with foundationalism where the inference chain of a belief goes on ad infinitum.

Question 8

The Ascent Argument

Answer 8

BonJour’s argument that for a basic belief to be epistemically justified, there have to be reasons for accepting it, making it an inferrential, rather than a basic belief.

Question 9

The Anti-Foundationalist Argument

Answer 9

BonJour’s elaboration of his Ascent Argument, in 6 steps, concluding that there can be no basic empirical beliefs.

Question 10

The Externalist Response

Answer 10

An attempt to save foundationalism via externalism, by claiming that one need not be in cognitive possession of or be able to demonstrate the reasons that a belief is justified, in order for it to be justified.

Question 11

The Internalist Response

Answer 11

Attempt to save foundationalism via internalism, by claiming that one’s justification for a basic belief may be self-evident intuition, which needs no further justification.

Question 12

The Given

Answer 12

The idea that empirically basic beliefs need no further justification.

Question 13

Name the Empiricist Foundationalists:

Answer 13

Aquinas, Locke and Hume

Question 14

The Classical Model of Coherence

Answer 14

Truths are part if the Absolute System of Knowledge, where every belief is entailed by every other within the system.

Question 15

Name the Classical Coherentists:

Answer 15

Plato, Hegel, Bradley & Blanshard

Question 16

Contemporary Coherentism

Answer 16

Rejects the coherence theory of truth, embracing instead a coherence theory of justification.

Question 17

Name the Contemporary Coherentists:

Answer 17

Quine, Sellars, Harman, Lehrer & BonJour

Question 18

Circular Coherentism

Answer 18

Beliefs are justified in a circular inference chain.

Question 19

Holistic Coherentism

Answer 19

Beliefs are justified by their role in a system, supporting many beliefs and in turn supported by many. There are no basic beliefs, beliefs are instead the outcome of a complex set of relevant beliefs.

Question 20

The Alternate Systems Objection

Answer 20

Objection to Coherentism: that it cannot distinguish between internally consistent but mutually incompatible systems.

Question 21

The Input Objection

Answer 21

Objection to Coherentism: that it is not necessary that beliefs are caused by input from the world, meaning that a system may be detached from reality.

Question 22

BonJour’s Moderate (or Impure) Coherentism

Answer 22

If a system of beliefs that is coherent but does not correspond with the physical world receives perceptual input from the world, that system will either change, becoming more coherent, or be regarded as incoherent.

Question 23

The Infinite Regress Objection

Answer 23

Objection to coherentism, where justification of a belief by its coherence with a belief set goes on ad infinitum. Ex: Belief A: My belief set is S, and B coheres with S. Belief A1: My belief set is S, and A coheres with S…

Question 24

Folley’s Lottery

Answer 24

Criticism of Coherentism through the example of a Lottery with 1000 contestants. One cannot help but simultaneously believe that each individual contestant will lose, and yet that one will win, thus holding inconsistent yet justified beliefs.

Question 25

Moderate Foundationalism

Answer 25

Has seven characteristics, one of which is the incorporation of coherentism. Overall a system that has sacrificed (unachievable) certainty for probability, and has accepted the fallibility of beliefs.

Question 26

Nondoxastic Foundationalism

Answer 26

John Pollock's theory, also known as direct realism, arguing that we derive beliefs from perception, about which we rarely have beliefs.

Question 27

Internalism

Answer 27

Theory of justification that emphasizes the subject's point of view. The subject is justified if she follows the best evidence available to her.

Question 28

Accessibility Requirement

Answer 28

Feature of Internalism: In order to be justified in a belief, the believer must be able to determine whether or not the belief is justified through self-reflection.

Question 29

Responsibility Requirement

Answer 29

Feature of Internalism: In order to have justified belief, the believer must arrive at his or her belief through a process that seeks truth.

Question 30

Epistemic Responsibility

Answer 30

The idea that we have a prima facia epistemic duty to seek the truth.

Question 31

Externalism

Answer 31

Theory of justification that emphasizes objective factors; justification is determined by facts.

Question 32

Reliabilism

Answer 32

Branch of Externalism that holds that accessibility is irrelevant, the believer is justified as long as the belief was caused by a reliable process.

Question 33

Goldman's Three Conditions for Reliability

Answer 33

Agent A's belief that p is justified if: 1. The belief that p is the result of a reliable process. 2. Given A's relevant alternatives, there are no perceptual equivalents that could lead A to have a false belief. 3. p is true

Question 34

Armstrong's Thermometer Example

Answer 34

Well functioning thermometer that is mistaken under certain circumstances is akin to a non-inferrential false belief. A broken thermometer that is accidentally correct is akin to a non-inferrential true belief. A properly functioning thermometer that determines the temperature by a reliable process is akin to non-inferential knowledge.

Question 35

Knowledge, according to Armstrong

Answer 35

A true belief, justified by its status of having been caused by a reliable process.

Question 36

Main Advantages to Externalism

Answer 36

It provides a solution to Skepticism, it dissolves the problems of induction and other minds, and it makes sense of perceptual and memory knowledge.

Question 37

Who came up with the Mr.Truetemp example?

Answer 37

Lehrer

Question 38

Strong vs. Weak Justification

Answer 38

Goldman's distinction between beliefs that are well formed (strong justification) and blameless false beliefs (weak justification).

Question 39

Animal vs. Reflective Knowledge

Answer 39

Sosa's distinction between immediate unconscious knowledge, which is self-evident, and reflective knowledge, which requires justification.

Question 40

Reliabilists:

Answer 40

Goldmain, Swain, and Sosa