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Single Idea 6595

[catalogued under 13. Knowledge Criteria / A. Justification Problems / 1. Justification / a. Justification issues]

Full Idea

Against the Stoics, the Pyrrhonians argued that if someone presents a criterion of truth, then it will be important to determine whether it is the correct criterion.

Gist of Idea

If we need a criterion of truth, we need to know whether it is the correct criterion

Source

report of Pyrrho (reports [c.325 BCE]) by Robert Fogelin - Walking the Tightrope of Reason Ch.4

Book Reference

Fogelin,Robert: 'Walking the Tightrope of Reason' [OUP 2004], p.116


A Reaction

Hence Davidson says that attempts to define truth are 'folly'. If something has to be taken as basic, then truth seems a good candidate (since, for example, logical operators could not otherwise be defined by means of 'truth' tables).