Audi and Foundationalism

(Originally written September 22, 2006 in Epistemology)

Knowledge - justified true belief

In light of Gettier, knowledge is justified true belief + x (no false belief, indefeasibility, external factor, etc)

Theories of Justification

1. Foundationalism
     -Classical (Chisholm, Descartes)
     -Moderate (Audi)

2. Coherentism (Dancy, BonJour)

3. Contextualism (Annis)

Externalists deny that justification is necessary.

Audi - Moderate foundationalist - the foundation of knowledge doesn't have to be infallible, but knowledge must have a foundation.

Classical (Cartesian) foundationalism:
A) Axiomatic: foundational beliefs must be indubitable
B) Deductivism: non-foundational beliefs are justified only if deduced ultimately from the foundational beliefs
C) Internalism: We must know that we know when we know (2nd order requirements)

Moderate (fallibilist) foundationalism:
-Rejects a, b, and c of Cartesian foundationalism, but retains all other elements of foundationalism.

Audi's advantages of falibilistic foundationalism:
1. It solves the regress problem
2. It accords with common sense
3. It is psychologically plausible
4. It integrates epistemology with psychology and biology
5. It is not dogmatic