Questions tagged [foundationalism]
41 questions
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Is the Münchhausen trilemma really a trilemma?
The Münchhausen trilemma ("a thought experiment intended to demonstrate the theoretical impossibility of proving any truth"--Wikipedia) claims there are three options of which none of are satisfying.
Circular argument doesn't prove anything because…
QWERTY_dw
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Is this a fallacy, and if so, which?
P1: My opinions change as a result of brain function
P2: Brain function is caused by opinions stored within it (slightly dodgy premise but if you wouldn't mind assuming it to be true, whether it is true or false has no bearing to my question rather…
sket
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What does it mean for something to “break” infinite regress?
When it comes to the cosmological argument, proponents point out that a first cause is needed to stop an infinite regress of causes.
In epistemology, foundationalism is used to break the infinite regress of justification. If every belief needs…
user62907
5
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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…
user40843
5
votes
4 answers
If models of first-order logic are defined using set theory, is every first-order theory implicitly an extension of set theory?
In model theory, the satisfaction relation ⊧ relates a first-order theory with a collection of sets, functions and relations. The collection of elements those sets, functions and relations respectively take values in can be called the domain of…
Julius Hamilton
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Reductio ad absurdum proof of the existence of the ‘Unexplainable’ as the foundation of all knowledge
First let me start with a quote around which I am posing my question:
The very ground upon which all our knowledge and science rest is the
inexplicable. Therefore every explanation leads back to this, by means of
middle terms more or less, as on…
User198
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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
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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…
user16821
4
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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
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Rigorous expositions of anti-foundationalism?
Considering how unpopular foundationalism is today, one would assume there would be rigorous defenses of its alternatives.
But where are they? The engagement often seems rather sloppy and doesn't explain well how accepting a non-propositional…
viuser
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