Abstract

GARCIA, Carlos Emilio. Gettier cases and normal reasoners. Ideas y Valores [online]. 2007, vol.56, n.135, pp.73-84. ISSN 0120-0062.

As it is well known, the characterization of knowledge in terms of “Justified True Belief” (JTB) has been deemed unsuccessful since the popularization of Gettiertype counterexamples. This paper revisits Gettier’s seminal work and examines his arguments carefully. It holds that Gettier counterexamples are based on unwarranted substitution moves; that one of his arguments seems persuasive because it conflates syntactic validity with semantic truth; that for such reasons his case is weaker than it appears; and that there is, in fact, an avenue for escape open to the supporter of JTB. In short, I shall contend that Gettier’s cases are not genuine counterexamples to the standard characterization of knowledge in terms of JTB and that, consequently, such characterization is not seriously affected.

Keywords : Gettier; belief; knowledge; normal reasoner.

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