In 2007 he was awarded a philip leverhulme prize for his research. It applies recent advances in epistemological disjunctivism to the religious case for displaying an attractive model of specifically christian religious belief. Jul 23, 2014 duncan pritchard has recently defended a view he calls epistemological disjunctivism, largely inspired by john mcdowell. Jan 22, 2016 this paper explores religious belief in connection with epistemological disjunctivism. As formulated by duncan pritchard and john mcdowell, epistemological disjunctivism is the claim that perceptual experience can provide the. The basis problem for epistemological disjunctivism revisited. Written by an expert in the field, it covers such key topics as virtue epistemology, antiluck epistemology, epistemological disjunctivism, epistemic value, understanding, radical scepticism, and contextualism. After reconstructing pritchards own response to the access problem, i argue that in order to assess whether pritchards response is a satisfying one, we first need an account of the notion of reflective access that underpins pritchards epistemological disjunctivism. Epistemic angst by duncan pritchard overdrive rakuten. This paper identifies a plausiblelooking bridge principle that takes one from the version of epistemological disjunctivism defended by john mcdowell and duncan pritchard, which i label reflective epistemological disjunctivism or red, to metaphysical disjunctivism. For discussion of epistemological disjunctivism in general, see pritchard 2012.
For example, in articulating his preferred mcdowellinspired form of disjunctivism, duncan pritchard makes clear from the outset that his is a form of edp, which he takes to be independent of mdp. Epistemological disjunctivism in recent work, i have tried to develop a specifically epistemological version of disjunctivism, a view which is most closely associated with the work of john mcdowell. Comments on pritchards epistemological disjunctivism. This is the first volume dedicated solely to the topic of epistemological disjunctivism. Littlejohns objection is thus not specifically to epistemological disjunctivism as i set it out, but rather to a very general tenet of epistemological internalism which epistemological disjunctivism subscribes to. A radical, and highly contentious, proposal with regard to perceptual knowledge is outlinedviz. Epistemological disjunctivism in recent work, i have tried to develop a specifically epistemological version of disjunctivism, a view which is most closely associated with the work of.
Epistemological disjunctivism, by duncan pritchard. Epistemological disjunctivism involves a negative claim the denial of the common kind thesis underpinned by a positive claim. Duncan pritchard offers an original defence of epistemological disjunctivism. Jan 11, 2014 epistemological disjunctivism, by duncan pritchard. Cohen raises two versions of the problem of easy knowledge, one involving the principle of closure and the other trackrecord style bootstrapping reasoning. According to duncan pritchards philosophical issues, 211, 434455, 2011, 2012, 2015version of epistemological disjunctivism, in paradigm. A particular biscopic proposal is then explored which brings together two apparently opposing anti. Duncan pritchard frse is the chancellors professor of philosophy and the director of graduate studies at the university of california, irvine and a professor of philosophy at the university of edinburgh. Duncan pritchard frse is professor of philosophy at the university of edinburgh, uk. However, pritchard s epistemological disjunctivism cannot sustain this idea, and so it ultimately fails in its attempt to locate the holy grail of epistemology by reconciling the insights of internalism and externalism. Haddock, 2010, epistemological disjunctivism 2012, and epistemic angst 2015. A first pass, the opening chapter to epistemological disjunctivism oxford up, 2012 a fairly recent video of a talk i gave at a conference in bonn that gives an overview of my stance on radical scepticism. Epistemological disjunctivism, as defended by, for example, mcdowell, neta and pritchard, is the view that epistemic justification can be and in paradigmatic cases of perceptual knowledge.
Duncan pritchard offers students not only a new exploration of topics central to current epistemological debate, but also a new way of doing epistemology. I argue that disjunctivism can do a better job than dogmatism. It is shown that this view does not accord with the. His main research area is epistemology, and he has published widely in this field, including the monographs epistemic luck 2005, the nature and value of knowledge with a. Duncan pritchard has recently defended a view he calls epistemological disjunctivism, largely inspired by john mcdowell. Professor pritchard is widely recognised as one of the worlds leading experts in the area of epistemology. Pdf scepticism and disjunctivism duncan pritchard and. This advanced textbook, now in its second edition, provides an accessible overview of some of the main issues in contemporary epistemology. While pritchards book manages to make a convincing case for why one should accept epistemological disjunctivism ed, the neomoorean antisceptical strategy that he derives from it is less compelling. I won t survey the options here but rather launch straight into pritchards own. Epistemological disjunctivism by duncan pritchard, paperback. What results is a heretofore unoccupied position in religious epistemologya view i call religious epistemological disjunctivism red. Written by one of the worlds leading experts in the field.
While pritchards book manages to make a convincing case for why one should accept epistemological disjunctivism ed, the neomoorean antisceptical. Among the many virtues duncan pritchard ascribes to his disjunctivist position in epistemic disjunctivism, he claims it defeats the skeptic in an attractive fashion. Haddock,2010,and epistemological disjunctivism 2012. It is equally common to suggest that it is at least not obvious that the latter requires a commitment to the former. Epistemological disjunctivism hardcover duncan pritchard. A bold and innovative new treatment of perceptual knowledge. Views that follow this approach are committed to a form of epistemological disjunctivism about selfknowledge, because they entail that internalist epistemic warrant can vary between a true selfbelief and its corresponding false selfbelief. This paper explores religious belief in connection with epistemological disjunctivism. Reflective access, closure, and epistemological disjunctivism. This is an account of perceptual knowledge which contends that such knowledge is paradigmatically constituted by a true belief which enjoys rational support which is both factive and reflectively accessible to the agent. Epistemological disjunctivism by duncan pritchard analysis. I argue that pritchard is right to associate the view with mcdowell, and that mcdowells inferenceblocking argument against the sceptic succeeds only if epistemological disjunctivism is accepted. In this paper i argue that his engagement with the skeptic is not entirely successful.
Epistemological disjunctivism and the basis problem. Thus,duncan pritchard, who has in recent work done a lot to clarify and develop epistemological dis. It introduces philosophy using a questionled approach that reflects the discursive nature of the discipline. In my first book, epistemic luck, oxford up, 2005, i argued for a distinctive methodology that i call antiluck epistemology, and along the way offered a modal account of luck. Edited by duncan pritchard, each section is written by a highprofile. Epistemological disjunctivism and the basis problem duncan pritchard university of edinburgh abstract. It is argued that each proposal enables us to gain a purchase on one, but only one, aspect of the two. Thus, duncan pritchard, who has in recent work done a lot to clarify and develop epistemological dis.
The formulation of epistemological disjunctivism nottingham eprints. This chapter sets out the core thesis of epistemological disjunctivism. Oct 01, 2011 epistemological disjunctivism and the basis problem epistemological disjunctivism and the basis problem pritchard, duncan 20111001 00. For further discussion of mcdowells disjunctivism and comparison with austin 1962, see thau 2004. Skepticism and disjunctivism the epistemological problem of the. My explicit aim was to defend epistemological disjunctivism without committing to any wider claims that are controversial epistemological disjunctivism, after all, is controversial enough. Epistemological disjunctivism and the basis problem epistemological disjunctivism and the basis problem pritchard, duncan 20111001 00. I want to press pritchard a bit to tell us more about whether someone who holds to the traditional view of experience could plausibly maintain that our perceptual beliefs are supported by reasons that provide factive support. Pdf epistemological disjunctivism and the basis problem. I argue that epistemological disjunctivism, as defended by pritchard 2012 or mcdowell 19822009, faces a dilemma. The influence of newman, god, truth and other enigmas ed. Epistemological disjunctivism by duncan pritchard oxford. It is now common to distinguish metaphysical from epistemological disjunctivism. Duncan pritchard is professor of philosophy at the university of edinburgh, uk.
For discussion of mcdowells disjunctivism, see neta 2008, pritchard 2008, sedivy 2008, brogaard 2011 and haddock 2011. The disjunctive theory of perception stanford encyclopedia. Andrews joined the department in july 2007 as the new chair in epistemology. The grail is an approach to perception that satisfies key motivations for both internalism and externalism. That is, the epistemological disjunctivist denies that ones perceptual evidence is the same across indistinguishable cases of veridical perception and hallucination. He is the author of epistemic luck 2005 and epistemological disjunctivism 2012. Moreover, it identifies a modification the proponent of red could, and. However, pritchards epistemological disjunctivism cannot sustain this idea, and so it ultimately fails in its attempt to locate the holy grail of epistemology by reconciling the insights of internalism and externalism. In this paper i confront the problem of easy knowledge from the perspective of epistemological disjunctivism about perception. This advanced textbook covers such key topics as virtue epistemology, antiluck epistemology, epistemological disjunctivism and attributer. A dilemma for epistemological disjunctivism sciencedirect. In this paper, i consider the socalled access problem for duncan pritchards epistemological disjunctivism 2012. Religious epistemological disjunctivism springerlink.
In paradigmatic cases of perceptual knowledge an agent, s, has perceptual knowledge that. This paper identifies a plausiblelooking bridge principle that takes one. Im duncan pritchard, chancellors professor of philosophy at the university of california, irvine, and professor of philosophy at the university of edinburgh. This is an account of perceptual knowledge which contends that. I argue that there is room for a neomoorean to dispute pritchards argument for the wittgensteinian proposal and i raise some doubts about its. The original essays in this volume, written by leading and upandcoming scholars on the topic, are divided into three thematic sections. This book offers a defence of epistemological disjunctivism. In conclusion, epistemological disjunctivism is a fascinating view that deserves critical scrutiny. Before coming to edinburgh, he was professor of philosophy at the university of stirling. This lucid and engaging introduction grapples with these central questions in the theory of knowledge, offering a clear, nonpartisan view of the main themes of. Epistemological disjunctivism and introspective indiscriminability. This is an account of perceptual knowledge which contends that such. In particular, in a case of paradigmatic perceptual knowledge that p, the subjects rational support for believing.
Im duncan pritchard, philosopher working on knowledge. The core thesis of pritchards epistemological disjunctivism is as fol lows. This is an account of perceptual knowledge which contends that such knowledge is paradigmatically constituted by a true belief that enjoys rational support which is both factive and reflectively accessible to the agent. The basis problem for epistemological disjunctivism revisited harmen ghijsen introduction duncan pritchard 2012b has defended a version of epistemological disjunctivism which holds that in a paradigmatic case of perceptual knowledge, one knows that pin virtue of having the re ectively accessible reason that one sees that p. A radical, and highly contentious, proposal with regard to perceptual knowledge. However, pritchard also recognises that epistemological. In 2011 he was elected to a fellowship of the royal society of edinburgh. While pritchards book manages to make a convincing case for why one should accept epistemological disjunctivism ed, the neomoorean antisceptical strategy that he. Duncan pritchard frse is professor of philosophy at the.
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