Gettier’s Paradox,the Degree Of Justification And Knowledge Hierarchy

Once the Gettier problem was put forward,it triggered.a widespread debate,and the aftereffect is still not smooth.Here are numerous studies on the Gettier problem in domestic and foreign academic circles,but none of them are recognized as a successful solution to the problem.Not only that,but the discussion of the Gettier problem has produced a chain of effects.For example,it was the prelude to the rise of virtue epistemology,safety theory and experimental philosophy.This paper tries to make a comprehensive and in-depth discussion on the development of Gettier’s paradox and its representative solution through the establishment of Gettier’s paradox and the combing and grasping of previous solutions.Mainly divided into the following four chapters to explain:Chapter 1,first discusses two theoretical features of JTB theory:knowledge entail justification,and justification does not entail truth,which lays the theoretical background of Gettier problem.Then,introducing the original classic expression of Gettier counterexamples and making a detailed interpretation of it,showing the causes and consequences of the Gettier problem and building a theoretical platform for the construction of the Gettier’s paradox.Chapter 2,with the help of the strict definition of a logical paradox,characterizes Gettier-intuition paradox as Gettier-logic paradox.Epl-Ep6 is the acknowledged correct background knowledge from which the Gettier logic-paradox is built.And under the above cognitive presuppositions,if Gettier assumes that infallibilism,it follows that,knowledge exists,if and only if,knowledge does not exist,and S and p satisfy JTB,if and only if,S and p do not satisfy JTB,then Gettier needs to assume that fallibilism.But on the other hand,if Gettier posits fallibilism,then we get that S knows p,if and only if,S does not know p,and from that again we get the fallacy that he needs to posit infallibilism,and that’s where the Gettier logic-paradox comes from.Gettier-intuition paradox and Gettier-logic paradox are called Gettier’s paradox.Chapter 3,depending on the construction framework of Gettier’s paradox,sorts out the justification revision scheme to eliminate Gettier’s paradox.This scheme focuses on modifying EP2(JTB theory)and EP5(JTB is satisfied between the subject S and proposition p in Gettier counterexamples),while keeping other presuppositions unchanged.Representatives include Michael Clark,Alvin I.Goldman,Linda Zagzebski,Duncan Pritchard.Being dependent on TB+J**,EP2 and EP5 are modified.Thus,S knows p,if and only if S does not know that the contradictory equivalence formula of p is destroyed,then it is impossible to obtain the theory of infallibilism from the assumption of fallibilism and accordingly,the Gettier’s paradox was resolved.Although with the improvement of justification degree,all the schemes found have successfully eliminated some of the Gettier-style counterexamples to some extent.However,as the stretchability of the Gettier-style counterexamples shows,no matter how high the degree of justification J**is,as long as it is less than 1,the Gettier-style counterexamples can still be successfully constructed,and at the same time,the strengthened Gettier’s paradox can be constantly reconstructed.Chapter 4,based on the inherent defects of the justification revision scheme,introduces the epistemic gradualism scheme with Hetherington as the principal advocate.Unlike the justification revision,the epistemic gradualism seeks to modify EP3(epistemic absolutism)and EP6(intuitively,the subject S in the Gettier counterexamples does not know p).With the clarification of the concepts of knowledge degree and failable knowledge,it can be concluded that the subject S in Gettier counterexamples has knowledge.Although the knowledge S has is very failable,but it is just the failability of this knowledge that forms the illusion that S does not have knowledge,and accordingly,the Gettier’s paradox is also resolved.Finally,combined with Hetherington’s rejection of epistemic absolutism and justificationism,this paper presents the multi-level of knowledge and knowledge minimalism depicted by Hetherington,aiming at providing a new way of thinking for later knowledge characterization and promoting the extension of relevant studies in depth and breadth.