Questions tagged [foundationalism]
30 questions
11
votes
5 answers
How far can/should one press philosophical doubt?
Should we keep on questioning until nothing is left to question or is there a point on which we need to stand (which we often tend to do)? Descartes used 'I think' as this fixed point where the skepticism abates, there may be others. But what is a…
Ather Cheema
- 409
- 2
- 10
11
votes
1 answer
How is Bonjour's coherence theory of justification not just a version of foundationalism?
In presenting his coherence theory of justification BonJour appeals to what he calls the “Observation Requirement.”
Bonjour’s observation requirement is the notion that there are some kinds of justified beliefs that are spontaneous and come from our…
Kevin Davis
- 449
- 1
- 4
- 13
10
votes
6 answers
Is the Münchhausen trilemma really a trilemma?
It claims there are three options of which none of them are satisfying.
Circular argument doesn't prove anything because it's just when the premise is the same as the conclusion.
x ∵ x
Infinite Regress isn't clear on why we'd need to do this let…
QWERTY_dw
- 681
- 1
- 6
- 10
7
votes
1 answer
How does Epistemology show that it's not a language game?
I'm looking for pointers towards texts that treat the issue of "doing philosophy with language" as a foundational problem-- which must be justified in order to go on and make meaningful statements about "normal" problems in philosophy.
Short…
Max Wallace
- 363
- 1
- 10
7
votes
4 answers
Alternatives to Axiomatic Method
In his article The Pernicious Influence of Mathematics upon Philosophy (see Chapter 12 of this book) Rota says (my emphasis),
The axiomatic method of mathematics is one of the great achievements
of our culture. However, it is only a method.…
user13627
6
votes
2 answers
Are there any philosophers who advance a non-foundationalist absolutism?
I'm sure my terminology is poor here (background in math more than philosophy), but are there any philosophers who have advanced a distinctly non-relativist epistemology without ultimately coming out foundationalist? I'm not talking about…
eMansipater
- 1,460
- 2
- 15
- 19
5
votes
2 answers
How many variations on graph-theoretic/related parameters indicate alternatives to foundationalism/coherentism/infinitism?
The set theory I'm trying to work in right now is geared towards applying an "axiom of multifoundation" whose local maximum representation is:
The interpretation of the elementhood glyphs is that each arrow type stands for which…
Kristian Berry
- 9,561
- 1
- 12
- 33
4
votes
3 answers
Descartes' foundationalism
Is the cogito an axiom from which we can reason axioms of mathematics? Was Descartes' aim to make mathematics (and other fields of knowledge) reducible to the cogito?
Prince Deepthinker
- 468
- 2
- 10
4
votes
5 answers
Defending the Unpopular: Foundationalism
Foundationalism, once considered a valid and popular philosophy, now receives nearly universal contempt. There seems to be a consensus, in both analytic and continental camps, it is dead.
Are there any modern attempts at a resuscitation – justifying…
Just Some Old Man
- 595
- 1
- 5
- 16
4
votes
3 answers
Is G.E. Moore's here-is-one-hand argument a bit naive?
Are G.E. Moore, etc., a bit naive at times? (see here-is-one-hand argument).
Does such trivial thing really need "formalization"? Why isn't Moore accused of idealism, when he could be interpreted as having an overly unpractical viewpoint? The world…
mavavilj
- 2,854
- 19
- 34
4
votes
2 answers
Was Aquinas a foundationalist?
Foundationalism is, generally speaking, the belief that a group of undoubtable beliefs 'ground,' or 'justify' other beliefs.
As of late, foundationalism has fallen out of favor in many different circles of thought.
At first blush Aquinas seems to…
user28843
- 307
- 1
- 8
3
votes
0 answers
Question about the IEP’s (Michael Huemer’s) formulation of phenomenal conservatism
(I posted the identical question on the AskPhilosophy subreddit.)
I first learned about phenomenal conservatism under a different name, “the principle of credulity”, from the philosopher of religion Richard Swinburne. (I think there might be some…
Adam Sharpe
- 3,764
- 2
- 9
- 35
3
votes
3 answers
What are the most rational basic beliefs?
I understand that this question might be difficult or even unresolved. But within a foundationalist view of knowledge, has anyone proposed a set of basic beliefs that seem to be the most rational for forming an accurate model of reality, or at least…
blue-raven
- 47
- 3
2
votes
1 answer
Basic truths as self-justified or parajustified
Some foundationalists maintain that basic truths are self-justifying, which means they are allowing, in some exceptional cases at least, a form of circular reasoning; petitio principii or begging the question.
This is subtly different from…
user1113719
- 101
- 6
2
votes
1 answer
A "paradox" of foundationalism?
(Caveat: I use the word "paradox" here as in "Skolem's paradox," a quasi-contradictory (if you will) conjunction of facts, not an outright contradiction.)
I actually can ask the question first: is the proposition, "Foundationalism is the solution to…
Kristian Berry
- 9,561
- 1
- 12
- 33