Reasons and theoretical rationality

Book chapter

Littlejohn, Clayton. (2018). Reasons and theoretical rationality. In In Star, Daniel (Ed.). The Oxford handbook of reasons and normativity pp. 529-552 Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199657889.013.24
AuthorsLittlejohn, Clayton
EditorsStar, Daniel
Abstract

This chapter explores the relationship between reasons and epistemic rationality. In recent debates about rationality and evidence, internalist evidentialism is quite popular. Using this theory as our stalking horse, we examine debates about the ontology of evidence and reasons, a puzzle about rationality and evidential support relations, work on the relationship between reasons and rationality, and some underexplored issues concerning the relationship between knowledge, evidence, and normative reasons. We shall see that there are good grounds for thinking that the normative reasons that matter in epistemology are not always pieces of evidence, that there is no simple story about the relationship between believing rationally and responding correctly to the evidence or the reasons, that there are problems with formal accounts of evidential support, and that attractive views about the ontology of reasons suggest that it can be rational to believe without having a belief based on reasons.

Keywordsreasons; evidence; epistemic rationality; epistemic akrasia; knowledge; evidentialism; internalism–externalism; reasons for belief
Page range529-552
Year2018
Book titleThe Oxford handbook of reasons and normativity
PublisherOxford University Press
Place of publicationOxford, United Kingdom
ISBN9780199657889
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199657889.013.24
Scopus EID2-s2.0-85057590999
Open accessPublished as green open access
Author's accepted manuscript
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All rights reserved
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Output statusPublished
Publication dates
OnlineJul 2018
PrintJun 2018
Publication process dates
Deposited10 Jun 2022
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