The Problem of the Criterion, Skepticism, and the Cartesian Circle
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Timo Kajamies
Abstract
This paper tackles the famous predicament known as the Cartesian Circle. This notorious problem can be understood as manifesting an ancient dilemma—the diallelus, or the problem of the criterion. Now, the problem of the criterion can be approached from either particularistic or methodistic standpoint. In a nutshell, a particularist accepts instances of knowledge prior to criteria of knowledge, and the methodist goes the other way around. In this paper Descartes's struggle with the problem receives a particularistic reading. Using James Van Cleve's and Jaakko Hintikka's thoughts as my main leverage, I argue that the particularist Descartes can reach knowledge without circularity. However, problems will remain and I shall bring out those that to me seem most pressing.
© Philosophia Press 2006
Articles in the same Issue
- Spiritual Objectivity. A systematic expansion of the body-mind-problem
- Finding a Place for Moral Theory
- Too Many Dispositional Properties
- The Problem of the Criterion, Skepticism, and the Cartesian Circle
- Limit-situation. Antinomies and Transcendence in Karl Jaspers' Philosophy
- Access to the Abstract: Intuition as Mental Modelling
- Entity Realism Meets the Pessimistic Meta-Induction Argument. The World is not Enough
- The Pessimistic Meta-Induction. A Response to Jacob Busch
- Casullo on the Nature and Existence of A Priori Justification
- Steen Ebbesen and Carl Henrik Koch, The Danish History of Philosophy, 5 volumes, Gyldendal 2002-2004
- Ole Fogh Kirkeby, Eventum tantum - begivenhedens ethos, 592 pages, Forlaget Samfundslitteratur, Copenhagen, 2005
- Alois Pichler and Simo Säätelä (eds.): Wittgenstein: The Philosopher and his Works. Working Papers from the Wittgenstein Archives at the University of Bergen no 17, Bergen 2005. 420 pages. ISBN 82-91071-20-9
Articles in the same Issue
- Spiritual Objectivity. A systematic expansion of the body-mind-problem
- Finding a Place for Moral Theory
- Too Many Dispositional Properties
- The Problem of the Criterion, Skepticism, and the Cartesian Circle
- Limit-situation. Antinomies and Transcendence in Karl Jaspers' Philosophy
- Access to the Abstract: Intuition as Mental Modelling
- Entity Realism Meets the Pessimistic Meta-Induction Argument. The World is not Enough
- The Pessimistic Meta-Induction. A Response to Jacob Busch
- Casullo on the Nature and Existence of A Priori Justification
- Steen Ebbesen and Carl Henrik Koch, The Danish History of Philosophy, 5 volumes, Gyldendal 2002-2004
- Ole Fogh Kirkeby, Eventum tantum - begivenhedens ethos, 592 pages, Forlaget Samfundslitteratur, Copenhagen, 2005
- Alois Pichler and Simo Säätelä (eds.): Wittgenstein: The Philosopher and his Works. Working Papers from the Wittgenstein Archives at the University of Bergen no 17, Bergen 2005. 420 pages. ISBN 82-91071-20-9
