Epistemic Justification

Richard Swinburne offers an original treatment of a question at the heart of epistemology: what makes a belief rational, or justified in holding? He maps the rival accounts of philosophers on epistemic justification (internalist and externalist), arguing that they are really accounts of different concepts. He distinguishes between synchronic justification (justification at a time) and diachronic justification (synchronic justification resulting from adequate investigation)--both internalist and externalist. He also argues that most kinds of justification are worth having because they are indicative of truth; however, it is only justification of internalist kinds that can guide a believer's actions. Swinburne goes on to show the usefulness of the probability calculus in elucidating how empirical evidence makes beliefs probably true.


Author: Richard Swinburne
Publisher: Clarendon Press
Published: 10/25/2001
Pages: 272
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.16lbs
Size: 9.64h x 6.32w x 0.80d
ISBN: 9780199243785

About the Author

Richard Swinburne is Nolloth Professor of the Philosophy of the Christian Religion at Oriel College, Oxford

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