Knowledge and false belief

Many treat it as theoretical bedrock that knowledge cannot be generated by false belief. Much of the impetus behind this view stems from the literature generated by Edmund Gettier’s influential paper. Nevertheless, some recent literature has undermined the alleged structural feature using compelling cases. Roughly, two groups have emerged: those proposing that knowledge is had via a true belief in the vicinity and those suggesting that a false belief provides the epistemic support required for knowledge. While we tentatively side with these authors, we are not at all sympathetic with the theories on offer as they prove problematic upon closer reflection. An alternative picture is suggested wherein falsehoods play a causal role in generating knowledge. In this sense knowledge can be generated by habits involving false beliefs.