Topic > Global Epistemological Skepticism - 1116

Epistemological skepticism is the idea that individuals have no knowledge or justification for a specific set of propositions (Barnett, 2014). Skepticism about all propositions is known as global skepticism and reveals that knowledge is non-existent (2014). The regress problem is a difficulty in epistemology, where an idea must be justified, because the justification itself must have further reasoning (2014). The infinite regress argument concludes that individuals lack justification and knowledge (since knowledge requires justification) through its premises, but non-doxastic evidence ends the regress argument without circularity or arbitrariness. The infinite regress argument dates back to Sectus Empiricus, 3rd century AD (2014 ). He states that for a belief to be justified, it must be supported by reasons that form a finite and linear chain of belief, a finite and circular chain of belief, or an infinite chain of belief (2014). However, all of these reasoning methods contain flaws. A finite, linear chain must end with an unproven statement or assumption, which cannot justify anything (2014). Since it ends with the lack of further justification, knowledge is also absent. Circular reasoning cannot justify anything (2014), because justifications keep justifying each other back and forth. Finally, the finite minds of human beings are not capable of having an infinite number of beliefs (2014). Therefore, due to these defects, individuals lack justification and knowledge. Skeptics hold to this conclusion and believe that, in fact, justification and knowledge are nonexistent. However, there are several potential responses to this case of skepticism. Infinitism is the view that the argument against the existence of knowledge has been supported by the regress problem and the infinite regress argument. Questioning knowledge and its existence has led to many responses to counter the ideas of skeptics. Flaws in the skeptics' perspective have been observed, and answers have emerged from these inconsistencies. However, difficulties have been found in the views of infinitism, coherentism and foundationalism. The idea that concludes the infinite regress argument without describing the flaws found in other answers is that of non-doxastic evidence. Works Cited Barnett, C.B. (2014, January). Skepticism: the problem of regress. Paper presented at St. John Fisher College, Rochester, NY.Feinberg, J., & Shafer-Landau, R. (2013). Reason and responsibility: readings on some fundamental problems of philosophy. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.