A cumulative case argument for infallibilism

Book chapter


Climenhaga, Nevin. (2021). A cumulative case argument for infallibilism. In In Kyriacou, Christos and Wallbridge, Kevin (Ed.). Skeptical invariantism reconsidered pp. 57-79 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429353468-6
AuthorsClimenhaga, Nevin
EditorsKyriacou, Christos and Wallbridge, Kevin
Abstract

I present a cumulative case for the thesis that we only know propositions that are certain for us. I argue that this thesis can easily explain the truth of eight plausible claims about knowledge:

There is a qualitative difference between knowledge and non-knowledge.

Knowledge is valuable in a way that non-knowledge is not.

Subjects in Gettier cases do not have knowledge.

If S knows that P, P is part of S’s evidence.

If S knows that P, ~P is epistemically impossible for S.

If S knows that P, S can rationally act as if P.

If S knows that P, S can rationally stop inquiring whether P.

If S knows each of {P1, P2, … P n }, and competently deduces Q from these propositions, S knows that Q.

I then argue that the skeptical costs of this thesis are outweighed by its explanatory power.

Page range57-79
Year2021
Book titleSkeptical invariantism reconsidered
PublisherRoutledge
Place of publicationNew York, NY
London, United Kingdom
SeriesRoutledge studies in epistemology
ISBN9780367370183
9781032027463
9780429353468
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429353468-6
Research or scholarlyResearch
Publisher's version
License
All rights reserved
File Access Level
Controlled
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Print2021
Online2021
Publication process dates
Deposited07 Mar 2022
Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8x6y4/a-cumulative-case-argument-for-infallibilism

Restricted files

Publisher's version

  • 53
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 1
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

Epistemic probabilities are degrees of support, not degrees of (rational) belief
Climenhaga, Nevin. (2023). Epistemic probabilities are degrees of support, not degrees of (rational) belief. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research. pp. 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1111/phpr.12947
Molinism : Explaining our freedom away
Climenhaga, Nevin and Rubio, Daniel. (2022). Molinism : Explaining our freedom away. Mind. 131(522), pp. 459-485. https://doi.org/10.1093/mind/fzab042
Causal inference from noise
Climenhaga, Nevin, DesAutels, Lane and Ramsey, Grant. (2021). Causal inference from noise. Noûs. 55(1), pp. 152-170. https://doi.org/10.1111/nous.12300
The structure of epistemic probabilities
Climenhaga, Nevin. (2020). The structure of epistemic probabilities. Philosophical Studies. 177(11), pp. 3213-3242. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11098-019-01367-0
Papias's prologue and the probability of parallels
Climenhaga, Nevin. (2020). Papias's prologue and the probability of parallels. Journal of Biblical Literature. 139(3), pp. 591-596. https://doi.org/10.15699/jbl.1393.2020.8
Can we know God? New insights from religious epistemology
Climenhaga, Nevin. (2019). Can we know God? New insights from religious epistemology United States of America: John Templeton Foundation.
Infinite value and the best of all possible worlds
Climenhaga, Nevin. (2018). Infinite value and the best of all possible worlds. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research. 97(2), pp. 367 - 392. https://doi.org/10.1111/phpr.12383
Intuitions are used as evidence in philosophy
Climenhaga, Nevin. (2018). Intuitions are used as evidence in philosophy. Mind: A Quarterly review of philosophy. 127(505), pp. 69 - 104. https://doi.org/10.1093/mind/fzw032
How explanation guides confirmation
Climenhaga, Nevin. (2017). How explanation guides confirmation. Philosophy of Science: official journal of the Philosophy of Science Association. 84(2), pp. 359 - 368. https://doi.org/10.1086/690723
Inference to the best explanation made incoherent
Climenhaga, Nevin. (2017). Inference to the best explanation made incoherent. Journal of Philosophy. 114(5), pp. 251 - 273. https://doi.org/10.5840/jphil2017114519