PHLA10H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: A Priori And A Posteriori, Foundationalism
Document Summary
Used axiomatic geometry as a model to demonstrate this: axioms (like foundational beliefs) are self-evident". They cannot be false and absolutely certain: theorems (like superstructural beliefs) are deduced by axioms. Follow by pure logic and inherit certainty. He developed his method of doubt to determine which of the beliefs he has are foundational; whether it is possible to doubt a proposition. If a doubt is possible then it isn"t foundational. If a doubt isn"t possible then it is foundational (indubitable belief) Doesn"t mean that the belief is false, it just isn"t absolutely certain. A posteriori beliefs based on whatever you observe: sense, memory, testimony, etc: dreaming, hallucination and illusions give reasons for putting such beliefs into doubt. Any proposition which if you think it, it must be true survives the method of doubt. First-person descriptions of the way things seem are indubitable. Incorrigibility: we cannot be mistaken about our own mental states: also known as the transparency of the mental.
