PHIL 201 Study Guide
Study Guide: Lesson 13
Justification, Part 1: Noetic Structure
Tasks
View and take notes on the presentation, “An Overview of Issues in Contemporary Justification, Part 1.”
What are 3 characteristics of a person’s noetic structure?
The sum total of everything that person believes
It recognizes the differing degress of certainty, firmness, and conviction with which people hold their beliefs.
Characterized by how beliefs are related together.
Explain coherentism and the 3 problems with it.
Coherentism: All beliefs fall into one category. No beliefs are more foundational than the others.
Problems:
Circularity: How do I justify my belief in P? It coheres with Q.
Isolation Problem: Coherentism isolates my beliefs from the external world.
Plurality: It is possible to have 2 coherent systems that are logically incompatible.
Read chapter 4 of Epistemology: Becoming Intellectually Virtuous, “Foundationalism.” As you do, consider the following questions and points:
What is the root idea of foundationalism?
Each of us holds a set of beliefs basically or immediately while we hold other beliefs non basically or mediately.
Why would one adopt a foundationalist approach to justification?
Because they are epistemic engies of our noetic structures, imparting to all of our non-basic beliefs, while not themselves requiring justification from any other beliefs – this support goes just one way.
What is the regress argument?
Taking for granted the general reliability of your conscious faculties, and indeed must take them for granted.
What are the 3 basic components of foundationalism?
Basic or immediate beliefs- Form the bedrock of what all we believe undergirding everything else we are justified in believing.
Mediate or non-basic beliefs- Everything else we believe
Basing Relation- Specifies how the epistemic merit of our basic beliefs is to be transferred to out non-basic beliefs.
What are the characteristics of strong foundationalism? Specifically
Justification, Part 1: Noetic Structure
Tasks
View and take notes on the presentation, “An Overview of Issues in Contemporary Justification, Part 1.”
What are 3 characteristics of a person’s noetic structure?
The sum total of everything that person believes
It recognizes the differing degress of certainty, firmness, and conviction with which people hold their beliefs.
Characterized by how beliefs are related together.
Explain coherentism and the 3 problems with it.
Coherentism: All beliefs fall into one category. No beliefs are more foundational than the others.
Problems:
Circularity: How do I justify my belief in P? It coheres with Q.
Isolation Problem: Coherentism isolates my beliefs from the external world.
Plurality: It is possible to have 2 coherent systems that are logically incompatible.
Read chapter 4 of Epistemology: Becoming Intellectually Virtuous, “Foundationalism.” As you do, consider the following questions and points:
What is the root idea of foundationalism?
Each of us holds a set of beliefs basically or immediately while we hold other beliefs non basically or mediately.
Why would one adopt a foundationalist approach to justification?
Because they are epistemic engies of our noetic structures, imparting to all of our non-basic beliefs, while not themselves requiring justification from any other beliefs – this support goes just one way.
What is the regress argument?
Taking for granted the general reliability of your conscious faculties, and indeed must take them for granted.
What are the 3 basic components of foundationalism?
Basic or immediate beliefs- Form the bedrock of what all we believe undergirding everything else we are justified in believing.
Mediate or non-basic beliefs- Everything else we believe
Basing Relation- Specifies how the epistemic merit of our basic beliefs is to be transferred to out non-basic beliefs.
What are the characteristics of strong foundationalism? Specifically