Notes for May 21

Regress problem-- where does justification stop?
Foundationalism springs from a special class of beliefs.
Foundationalists: Decartes, Locke, Hume, Berkeley, Aristotle, and Plato
Properly basic belief - Justifiably is not believed on the basis of another belief.
Classical foundationalism-everything before 20th century
"Given myth":
Raw uninterpreted sense experiences which we cannot be mistaken about ... "I am in pain."..
-challenged as infallible-to the extent that these experiences are raw and uninterpreted, they can't serve as a foundation for other beliefs.
Falliblism-possibly false beliefs can go in the foundation/be properly basic.
Advantages to Foundationalism - If it works, seems the most certain way of justifying beliefs. Based on something solid. In theory, it looks like the best bet. (initially)
Problems with the theory 1.Disagreement about what goes in foundation. 2. Can't be justified by it's own standard. (self-referentially incoherent.)
Coherentism- justification is a feature of a mutually supportive system of beliefs with any particular belief being justified by its role in the system as a whole.
Advantages - the way science and math works. It's the way we justify belief in practice.
Disadvantages - leads to dogmatic approach, inclines people to form beliefs based on ideology vs. evidence.
Consistency is a necessary but not sufficient condition for truth. Doesn't tie beliefs to external world sufficiently.