The Contingent Unknowability of Facts and its Relation with Informal, Epistemological Contexts

Vol 21, No 1 (2017) • Principia: an international journal of epistemology

Autor: Stanley Kreiter Bezerra Medeiros

Resumo:

This paper focuses on elements that are involved in a specific type of judgment, namely, those involving facts that, in virtue of contingent reasons, are out of our epistemic reach. Its goal is to propose a philosophical explanation about why we, in informal contexts, take some facts as contingently unknowable. In order to accomplish that goal, we develop a theory that defines contingently unknowable facts in a very specific way. We establish three clauses that are jointly necessary and sufficient — so we argue — for taking an arbitrary fact as contingently unknowable. In a variety of contexts, this strategy has the potential of reducing efforts in an epistemological analysis of this particular type of unknowability.

 

ISSN: ISSN: 1414-4217

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5007/1808-1711.2017v21n1p61

Texto Completo: https://periodicos.ufsc.br/index.php/principia/article/view/1808-1711.2017v21n1p61/35803

Principia: an international journal of epistemology

"PRINCIPIA
"Principia: an international journal of epistemology" was founded in 1997 and regularly publishes articles, discussions and review. The journal aims to publish original scholarly work especially in epistemology area , with an emphasis on material of general interest to academic philosophers. Originally published only in print version (ISSN: 1414-4247), in 2005 the journal began to be published also in online version (ISSN: 1808-1711). Since 1999 are published three issues per year: in April, August and December. Qualis CAPES: A2