Single Idea 10339

[catalogued under 13. Knowledge Criteria / B. Internal Justification / 4. Foundationalism / f. Foundationalism critique]

Full Idea

Foundationalists place the foundations of knowledge at a point where they are in principle accessible only to the individual knower. They cannot be 'shared' with another person, or with oneself at a later time.

Gist of Idea

Foundations seem utterly private, even from oneself at a later time

Source

Martin Kusch (Knowledge by Agreement [2002], Ch. 8)

Book Reference

Kusch,Martin: 'Knowledge by Agreement' [OUP 2004], p.99


A Reaction

Kusch is defending an extremely social view of knowledge. Being private to an individual may just he an unfortunate epistemological fact. Being unavailable even to one's later self seems a real problem for foundational certainty.