An old problem for the new rationalism

Synthese 183 (2):175-185 (2011)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

A well known skeptical paradox rests on the claim that we lack warrant to believe that we are not brains in a vat. The argument for that claim is the apparent impossibility of any evidence or argument that we are not BIVs. Many contemporary philosophers resist this argument by insisting that we have a sort of warrant for believing that we are not BIVs that does not require having any evidence or argument. I call this view ‘New Rationalism’. I argue that New Rationalists are committed to there being some evidence or argument for believing that we are not BIVs anyway. Therefore, New Rationalism, since its appeal is that it purportedly avoids the problematic commitment to such evidence or argument, undermines its own appeal. We cannot avoid the difficult work of coming up with evidence or argument by positing some permissive sort of warrant.

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 90,616

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Scepticism, relativism and the argument from the criterion.Howard Sankey - 2012 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 43 (1):182-190.
The concept of entitlement and its epistemic relevance.Hamid Vahid - 2011 - Pacific Philosophical Quarterly 92 (3):380-399.
Perceptual Justification and Warrant by Default.Chris Tucker - 2009 - Australasian Journal of Philosophy 87: 445-63 87 (3):445-63.
Take If from Me: The Epistemological Status of Testimony.Catherinez Elgin - 2002 - Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 65 (2):291-308.
What is entitlement?Albert Casullo - 2007 - Acta Analytica 22 (4):267 - 279.
Take it from me: The epistemological status of testimony.Catherinez Elgin - 2002 - Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 65 (2):291-308.
Warrant is unique.Andrew M. Bailey - 2010 - Philosophical Studies 149 (3):297-304.
More on Warrant’s Entailing Truth.Trenton Merricks - 1997 - Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 57 (3):627-631.
Mere faith and entitlement.Yuval Avnur - 2012 - Synthese 189 (2):297-315.

Analytics

Added to PP
2010-06-18

Downloads
174 (#103,450)

6 months
8 (#157,827)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Yuval Avnur
Claremont College

Citations of this work

Extended Rationality: A Hinge Epistemology.Annalisa Coliva - 2015 - London, England: Palgrave-Macmillan.
An Argument for External World Skepticism from the Appearance/Reality Distinction.Moti Mizrahi - 2016 - International Journal for the Study of Skepticism 6 (4):368-383.
Wittgensteinian Epistemology and Cartesian Skepticism.Nicola Claudio Salvatore - 2015 - Kriterion - Journal of Philosophy 29 (2):53-80.

Add more citations

References found in this work

The problems of philosophy.Bertrand Russell - 1912 - New York: Barnes & Noble.
The Problems of Philosophy.Bertrand Russell - 1912 - Portland, OR: Home University Library.
Perception: A Representative Theory.Frank Jackson - 1977 - Cambridge University Press.
Warrant for nothing (and foundations for free)?Crispin Wright - 2004 - Aristotelian Society Supplementary Volume 78 (1):167–212.

View all 25 references / Add more references