reckless intuitions of an epistemic hygienist ([info]gustavolacerda) wrote,
@ 2005-12-28 03:18:00
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Entry tags:phil.sci, practical_epistemology

Michael Huemer - Foundations and Coherence
Michael Huemer - Foundations and Coherence looks like a nice, introductory review paper on epistemic regress.


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Where did the brain go?
[info]rws1st
2005-12-28 08:20 am UTC (link)
I think its very odd to have a discussion about how beliefs are justified without reference to the brain, neurons, and anything in the cognitive science area. Also the purpose of having a beliefs is not addressed, its as if the only reason we have beliefs is to generate more beliefs!!

Second is there anyone who really prefers reading:

"Suppose I believe that P, and I am asked why I believe it. I might respond by citing a reason, Q, for believing P. I could then be asked why I believe Q. I might respond by citing a reason, R, for believing Q."

As opposed to

"Suppose I believe that something, and I am asked why I believe it. I might respond by citing a reason for my belief. I could then be asked why I believe that reason. I might respond by citing another reason, for believing my first reason."

It always drives me crazy and I have to mentally transform out of arbitrary variable space to word space.

On the substance I have always thought that foundationalism made the most sense. While coherence is a great high level cognitive activity, you have to generate the beliefs by some more basic process before you go about trying to and cohere them. It seems quite clear that we have a tremendous amount of our neural system devoted to processing raw sensory data into forms that can be used for high level functioning and that most of this takes place at a precognitive level that can not be called a belief. Since it seems clear that our beliefs arise from this feed of sensory data how can one not thing that belifs have a non-belief source?

For a basic belief stem I always liked: "I believe I am experiencing X" I don't see how that can be not true. I may not be experiencing X. But we take actions (the purpose for having beliefs) based on beliefs not omniscient knowledge of what is true.

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Re: Where did the brain go?
[info]gustavolacerda
2005-12-31 02:31 am UTC (link)
Also the purpose of having a beliefs is not addressed, its as if the only reason we have beliefs is to generate more beliefs!!

It's always nice to think about the evolution of cognition... but strangely or not, our rationality is pretty limited.


While coherence is a great high level cognitive activity, you have to generate the beliefs by some more basic process before you go about trying to and cohere them.

Sure.

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