Max on Schaffer on Debasing

(NB: I'm pasting Max's post in here since he had trouble. - Tillman)

Max W said...


My argument for The Debasing Demon:

Schaffer's Argument:

1: If I know T (A), then I can know that I know T (B)
2: If I can know that I know T (B), then I can know that my belief of T is properly based (C)
3: If I know T (A), then I can know that my belief of T is properly based (C) (HS 2, 3).
4: I cannot know that my belief of T is properly based (~C)
5: I do not know T (~A) (MT 4, 5).


Response to Schaffer:

1: ~(If I know T [A], then I can know that I know T [B])
2: If I can know that I know T (B), then I can know that my belief of T is properly based (C)
3: ~(If I know T [A], then I can know that my belief of T is properly based [C] [HS 2, 3]).
4: I cannot know that my belief of T is properly based (~C)
5: ~(I do not know T [~A] [MT 4, 5]).

(Works referenced: The Debasing Demon [Schaffer], Debasing Scepticism [Brueckner])

3:42 PM