To me knowledge is justified true belief. — Noah Te Stroete
What if I say I know there is no God? Does the lack of evidence provide justification? Maybe. I’m not sure. Negative justification is trickier than positive justification. Furthermore, positive justification deals with the physical world where we can look at the world and draw conclusions. Negative justification is lack of evidence and is much weaker. I can say there is lack of evidence that the multiverse exists, or maybe scanty evidence that is highly controversial. Is it then a justified belief that there is indeed NO multiverse? What if the actual state of affairs in reality is that there is a multiverse, and it turns out there is no way of having a positive justification for it? This example shows that there are many things that could be ultimately unknowable. I think negative justification as the determinant for true belief is weak at best. — Noah Te Stroete
If we go beyond the physical world, the question of justification is less clear. We probably need to know the purpose of metaphysical "knowledge" in order to figure out what a proper justification would be. — Echarmion
So you’re a proponent of positive justification for belief that need not be true. Care to justify that? — Noah Te Stroete
It seems to me (I may be confused) that I don’t agree with the concept of a “necessary” decision. What about discovery? Could you explain further please so I can understand your position? — Noah Te Stroete
If I'm not making a decision, truth is useless, knowledge is useless. — T Clark
Epistemology as the foundation of good decisions then? — Noah Te Stroete
Science has made many stupid decisions. One example, in my opinion, the industrial revolution that led to unsustainability. However, I enjoy the many fruits of industrialization. That said, wouldn’t the conscious life of the planet including the many now extinct species been better off without it? — Noah Te Stroete
People do make decisions. It was ultimately the business class and the desire of the people to make their lives easier that made things so bad because they didn’t think about the consequences. But they weren’t aware of the consequences. No one can KNOW all of the consequences of their decisions. Certainly people continue to fail to see the consequences of new technologies, technology being an application of science. — Noah Te Stroete
no one can say knowledge is adequately justified without understanding the consequences of a bad decision. — T Clark
Many decisions that are bad for many people are made with the full knowledge that they will be bad for those people. It does come down to value too, though, given that the decision made would be thought to benefit others who are considered more important than those it will either not benefit or disadvantage. — Janus
One only knows a decision is bad after the fact. And bad for whom or what? Some consequences are good for some and bad for others. That’s where values come in. Making decisions has more to do with values than epistemology in my opinion. — Noah Te Stroete
One can know what the consequences of of a decision will be before the fact better than we currently do, it just takes more work and attention. It costs money, so there are strong political forces resisting it. — T Clark
That said, I am certain you know as an environmental engineer what is best policy for the environment more so than politicians or corporations. — Noah Te Stroete
It’s easier to know what the direct intended consequences will be, but there are unintended consequences to every decision. Some good, some bad. — Noah Te Stroete
Environmental engineers apply technology to implement the laws and regulations that reflect environmental policy. I have opinions on what the appropriate policies are, but it's not my job to establish them. — T Clark
I see. It takes a team of experts and a consensus then (always difficult) in order to determine best policy. If only lobbyists didn’t get in the way... — Noah Te Stroete
That's not entirely true. Unintended consequences are not unforeseeable consequences, at least not necessarily. We can certainly do better than we do. — T Clark
If I consider you a credible witness and you tell me John's car is brown because you saw a brown car parked in his driveway but it turns out that was his sister's car but John's car really is brown - Do I know John's car is brown? — T Clark
Knowledge doesn't mean anything except in the context of a necessary decision. — T Clark
If we know cars only come in green and brown (equally likely), there is a 10% chance (1-.8)*.5 that the match to truth is "fortunate". — JosephS
Solution. Simple!! Get rid of the "T." — T Clark
I think negative justification as the determinant for true belief is weak at best. — Noah Te Stroete
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