Book chapter
Easy Knowledge Revisited
Knowledge and Rationality, pp.78-91
Routledge
2025
DOI: 10.4324/9781003452720-6
Abstract
One of Stew Cohen's lasting contributions to epistemology is the way in which he put front-and-center the problem of easy knowledge. Put simply, the problem arises when one asks whether one can legitimately use a way of forming beliefs to certify the legitimacy of that very way of forming beliefs. There seems to be something deeply problematic about such a move. On the other hand, if the method really is legitimate, why shouldn't one be able to use it to certify its own legitimacy? In this chapter, I argue that a satisfying answer to the problem of easy knowledge is found only when justifying second-order beliefs about the justification of first-order beliefs does nothing to increase the level of assurance that the first-level justification provided.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Easy Knowledge Revisited
- Creators
- Richard Fumerton
- Resource Type
- Book chapter
- Publication Details
- Knowledge and Rationality, pp.78-91
- Publisher
- Routledge; New York, NY
- DOI
- 10.4324/9781003452720-6
- Alternative title
- Easy Knowledge Revisited
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2025
- Academic Unit
- Philosophy
- Record Identifier
- 9984795478702771
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