Confusion, understanding and success

Belkoniene, M. (2023) Confusion, understanding and success. International Journal for the Study of Skepticism, 13(1), pp. 44-60. (doi: 10.1163/22105700-bja10051)

Abstract

The present paper examines a type of sceptical hypothesis put forward by Adam Carter that specifically targets understanding—the Confusion Hypothesis. After clarifying the nature and scope of that hypothesis, it discusses Carter’s favoured virtue perspectivist answer to the challenge it raises. It is argued that this answer is ultimately unsatisfying as it is unable to explain how a subject can obtain assurance that her grasp of a given body of information actually results from the competences she comes to appreciate as being reliable. A different answer that relies on the practical dimension of the specific grasp involved in understanding is then offered and is shown to avoid the problems faced by Virtue Perspectivism.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This publication was made possible through the support of a grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Belkoniene, Dr Miloud
• Authors: Belkoniene, M.
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > Philosophy
• Journal Name: International Journal for the Study of Skepticism
• Publisher: Brill
• ISSN: 2210-5697
• ISSN (Online): 2210-5700
• Published Online: 16 February 2023
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 Miloud Belkoniene
• First Published: First published in International Journal for the Study of Skepticism 13(1): 44-60
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License