Coherentism Flashcards
What is the “web of belief”?
The beliefs we have form a web that is defined by how our beliefs are interrelated. At the edges of the web are beliefs about particular things in the world, derived mostly from experience. Towards the centre of the web are beliefs like mathematics and logic that support and are supported by vast parts of the rest of the web.
What are spontaneous beliefs?
Beliefs that come in from outside of the web of belief. The web of belief is updates in response to them.
What is coherence?
The degree to which a web of belief explains and supports all its members.
What is the coherence theory of justification?
To justify a belief is to find other beliefs that support and explain it. These beliefs can then be justified in the same way. This mean that the skeptical regression becomes the question “how well does the entire web justify each of its members?”
What is partial or weak foundationalism?
A mixture of coherentism and foundationalism. Some beliefs automatically have some support in their favour. But to be fully justified or knowledge they must also have additional support from other beliefs.
What is the input objection?
An objection to coherentism. A web of belief can be coherent and therefore justified without any external inputs.
What is the observation requirement?
BonJour’s defence against the input objection. It states that beliefs that are formed without “a reasonable variety of kinds of cognitively spontaneous beliefs” cannot be justified.
What is the plurality objection?
An objection to coherentism. There seems to be no reason why maximizing coherence has to converge on the truth.
