Coherence of the contents and the transmission of probabilistic support

Synthese 190 (13):2525-2545 (2013)
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Abstract

This paper examines how coherence of the contents of evidence affects the transmission of probabilistic support from the evidence to the hypothesis. It is argued that coherence of the contents in the sense of the ratio of the positive intersection reduces the transmission of probabilistic support, though this negative impact of coherence may be offset by other aspects of the relations among the contents. It is argued further that there is no broader conception of coherence whose impact on the transmission of probabilistic support is never offset by other aspects of the relations among the contents. The paper also examines reasons for the contrary impression that coherence of the contents increases the transmission of probabilistic support, especially in the special case where the hypothesis to evaluate is the conjunction of the contents of evidence.

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Tomoji Shogenji
Rhode Island College

References found in this work

Bayesian Epistemology.Luc Bovens & Stephan Hartmann - 2003 - Oxford: Oxford University Press. Edited by Stephan Hartmann.
Problems for Dogmatism.Roger White - 2006 - Philosophical Studies 131 (3):525-557.
Is coherence truth conducive?T. Shogenji - 1999 - Analysis 59 (4):338-345.

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