Infinitism: rival or common ground in answering the epistemic regress?

Synthese 203 (2):1-12 (2024)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

Infinitism is often presented as a rival to foundationalism and coherentism as available answers to the epistemic regress problem. The most prominent contemporary defense of infinitism, due to Peter Klein, rests on the notion that an agent can perpetually amplify the justification for her belief insofar as they are able to iteratively answer an interlocutor’s questions why the proffered grounds for their belief should count as providing justification for that belief. We show that this argument does not offer any basis for preferring infinitism over foundationalism and coherentism, because those views are able to accommodate the insight that justification for a belief can be continually amplified. Klein’s argument for infinitism thus falls short of its aspirations of proving that infinitism qua rival of foundationalism and coherentism is the most credible solution to the epistemic regress problem.

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 91,475

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

The Regress Challenge, Infinitism and Rational Dialectics.Husein Inusah - 2020 - Philosophia: International Journal of Philosophy (Philippine e-journal) 21 (2):223-240.
On the regress argument for infinitism.John Turri - 2009 - Synthese 166 (1):157 - 163.
The trouble with infinitism.Andrew D. Cling - 2004 - Synthese 138 (1):101 - 123.
Infinitism redux? A response to Klein.Carl Gillett - 2003 - Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 66 (3):709–717.
Infinitism Redux? A Response to Klein.Carl Gillett - 2003 - Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 66 (3):709-717.

Analytics

Added to PP
2024-02-02

Downloads
11 (#1,128,105)

6 months
11 (#230,668)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Citations of this work

No citations found.

Add more citations

References found in this work

No references found.

Add more references