A Defense of the Given

What is the connection between experience and knowledge? Evan Fales defends the contested idea that sense experience can be used to justify basic beliefs. He explores what it is for a belief to be self-evident and examines implications for his argument of Gestalt psychology and visual phenomena and illusions. Fales diverges from classical foundationalism, however, arguing that basic beliefs are often only probable, rather than infallible. A Defense of the Given is an important work not only for epistemologists but for all philosophers interested in how we can justify our beliefs.

About the author

Evan M. Fales is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Iowa, the author of Causation and Universals, and the co-editor of Genes and Human Self-Knowledge.

Product details

• Authors: Evan Fales, Evan M Fales, Evan M. Fales
• Publisher: Globe Pequot Publishing Group Inc/Bloomsbury
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 27.11.1996
• EAN: 9780847683062
• ISBN: 978-0-8476-8306-2
• No. of pages: 208
• Dimensions: 149 mm x 228 mm x 14 mm
• Weight: 345 g
• Series: Studies in Epistemology and Co
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Philosophy > General, dictionaries; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: general, reference works