Comparing Alston, Huemer, and the Externalists Flashcards
What would Alston say about the externalists (Goldman and Baker-Hytch’s) argument?
Alston would likely agree, for the most part, with the externlaist perspective. He would agree that we can use inferential justification to justify our beliefs. He believes that so long as we use a reliable process (like our sense expereince) we can have prima facie justification. He believes that religious experience justification does us a reliable process because the process is highly comparable to our sense experience.
What would Alston say about Huemer’s argument?
Alston would likely agree with Huemer in some ways but disagree with him in other ways. Huemer is an internalist, and it’s not totally clear whether Alston is an internalist or an externalist (he seems to lean more towards externalism but doesn’t specifically take a stand on this issue). Alston would agree that our seemings can confer prima facie justification; however, I do believe he places an emphasis on the idea of a reliable process – hence why he believes that the fact that sense experience uses a prima facie reliable process can be used in understanding why RE can also confer prima facie justification.
What would Huemer say about the externalists?
Huemer would disagree with the externalist beliefs. Huemer has an internalist perspective, believing that all justification comes from our mind. This is contrasted with the externalist belief that some justification comes from our mind but we get the justification from the world around us so long as we use a reliable process.
What would Huemer say about Alston’s argument?
Huemer would agree with Alston’s argument in some ways. Huemer would say that if it seems to X that their religious experience is justified belief then they have at least prima facie justification for believing that their religious experience is justified belief until proven otherwise. However, Huemer would not place an emphasis on ensuring that the religious experience comes from a reliable process (likewise to sense experience). Alston takes on some externalist perspectives in conveying this that Huemer would likely not totally agree with.
What would the externalists say about Alston’s argument?
The externalist would likely agree with Alston, for the most part. They would agree that it seems that religious experience confers prima facie justification so long as it is comparable to sense experience that stems from prima facie reliabilsm.
What would the externalists say about Huemer’s argument?
The externalists would disagree with Huemer’s argument. They would say that our seemings alone are not enough to qualify as justification. They would say that even though it seems to S that P is true (and therefore P has at least some prima facie justification) S needs to have a reliable process in obtaining these seemings for S to have prima facie justification.
