A Reidian Internalist?

by J. B. Aitken

Thomas Reid is seen as the predecessor to Alvin Plantinga.  The latter holds to a “warrant” view of epistemology:  I don’t have to justify endless justifications for foundational beliefs.  Plantinga draws heavily from Reid.

Yet here is a thought:  can one hold to an internalist epistemology (knowledge = justified, true belief) and incorporate many of Reid’s insights?  I think one certain can on issues like anthropology and the will.

2 comments on “A Reidian Internalist?”

  1. Evan Kramer says:
    November 6, 2015 at 4:24 pm

    I haven’t read Reid yet, so I’ll ask: did Reid develop a concept of warrant? Or is that a modern innovation?

    Like

  2. JB Aitken says:
    November 6, 2015 at 11:11 pm

    Reid had an embryonic concept of warrant. Plantinga draws heavily upon him. Yet Reid is more known for the second part of Plantinga’s work: proper function.

    Reid seems like a proto-Plantingian, and he probably is, but he is also a foundationalist, albeit a weak one.

    Like

Comments are closed.