Skeptical thoughts concerning explanationism and skepticism

Journal article

Littlejohn, Clayton. (2014). Skeptical thoughts concerning explanationism and skepticism. Symposion. 1(1), pp. 77-87. https://doi.org/10.5840/symposion2014116
AuthorsLittlejohn, Clayton
Abstract

According to the explanationist, we can rely on inference to best explanation to justifiably believe familiar skeptical hypotheses are false. On this view, commonsense beliefs about the existence and character of familiar, medium-sized dry goods provides the best explanation of our evidence and so justifies our belief that we're not brains-in-vats. This explanationist approach seems prima facie plausible until we press the explanationist to tell us what the data is that we're trying to explain by appeal to our beliefs about external objects and how we could have access to it.

Keywordsdogmatism; evidence; explanationism; inference to best explanation; knowledge; skepticism
Year2014
JournalSymposion
Journal citation1 (1), pp. 77-87
PublisherInstitutul de Cercetari Economice si Sociale "Gh. Zane", Academia Romana * Filiala Iasi
ISSN1584-174X
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.5840/symposion2014116
Scopus EID2-s2.0-85025435573
Open accessOpen access
Page range77-87
Publisher's version
License
All rights reserved
File Access Level
Controlled
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online2014
Publication process dates
Deposited01 Jul 2025
Additional information

Bronze open access.

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