Self-Knowledge, Rationality and Moore's Paradox

Author: Fernández, Jordi

Source: Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Volume 71, Number 3, November 2005 , pp. 533-556(24)

Publisher: International Phenomenological Society

Buy & download fulltext article:

The full text article is not available for purchase.

The publisher only permits individual articles to be downloaded by subscribers.

Abstract:

I offer a model of self-knowledge that provides a solution to Moore's paradox. First, I distinguish two versions of the paradox and I discuss two approaches to it, neither of which solves both versions of the paradox. Next, I propose a model of self-knowledge according to which, when I have a certain belief, I form the higher-order belief that I have it on the basis of the very evidence that grounds my first-order belief. Then, I argue that the model in question can account for both versions of Moore's paradox. Moore's paradox, I conclude, tells us something about our conceptions of rationality and self-knowledge. For it teaches us that we take it to be constitutive of being rational that one can have privileged access to one's own mind and it reveals that having privileged access to one's own mind is a matter of forming first-order beliefs and corresponding second-order beliefs on the same basis.

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 2005-11-01

More about this publication?

This journal is now published by Blackwell Publishing. Current issues of this journal are available from here . Backfile content is in the process of being reloaded by Blackwell, and will shortly be removed from this page and available only from the Blackwell link above. If you have any queries about continued access to this journal please contact mailto:onlinehelp@oxon.blackwellpublishing.com.
Information for Authors
Subscribe to this Title
ingentaconnect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites