Ongoing justification: An essay on the epistemology of memory. Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Senor, Thomas David. Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 05/10/2021 06:06:26 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/184765 INFORMATION TO USERS The most advanced technology has been used to photo­ graph and reproduce this manuscript from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type . of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. 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Ann Arbor, MI 48106 ONGOING JUSTIFICATION: AN ESSAY ON THE EPISTEMOLOGY OF MEMORY by Thomas David Senor Copyright © Thomas David Senor 1989 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY In Partial fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 198 9 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Final Examination Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by ___T__ h_o_m_a_s __ D__ a_v_i_d ___ S_e_n_o_r ____________________ ___ entitled ONGOING JUSTIFICATION: AN ESSAY ON THE EPISTEMOLOGY OF MEMORY and recommend that it be accepted as fUlfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy ----------------------~~------------------------------- May 11, 1989 Date May 11, 1989 Date May 11, 1989 Date Date Date Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate's submission of the final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. May 11, 1989 Dissertation~~~ Directol - Alvin Goldman Date 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under the rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED:~ OaN:J ~ 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My greatest philosophical debt is owed, unquestionably, to William P. Alston of Syracuse University. Upon my arrival at Syracuse, I was poorly equipped for the serious and thoroughly analytic style of philosophizing that I was to find there. Through his example, I came to learn most of what I know about how to approach and explore a philosophical problem. And not only did I learn how to do philosophy, but I also came to know much about the philosophy of religion and epistemology from his courses and reading groups. Finally, and most importantly, in Prof. Alston I had (and have) a first-rate example of how a Christian can and should bring his faith to bear on his philosophical theorizing. There are many others to whom a debt is owed. At Syracuse, Robert Van Gulick and Peter van Inwagen had much to teach me about the philosophy of mind and metaphysics, respectively. Since leaving Syracuse to study epistemology at Arizona, Alvin Goldman has been my primary influence. This isn't to suggest that I was unaffected by him before my arrival in Tucson; his epistemological writings provided the stimulus that eventuated in my move to the southwest. He has also aided me greatly as my thesis advisor, granting me considerable freedom while making important suggestions for improvements. John Pollock and Keith Lehrer have also been significant influences on my epistemological thinking, and Mike Hamish and Joel Feinberg have also helped me to learn and grow as a philosopher. Fellow graduate students have contributed tremendously to my philosophical development. They include: Terry Christlieb, Jan Cover, Marian David, Rudy Garns, Jean Kazez, Steve Laurence, Alastair Norcross, Eric Pearson, Leopold Stubenberg, Scott Sturgeon, and Jim Taylor. My sincere thanks go to each of these philosophers. My greatest earthly debts go, of course, to my family. My wife, Georgia, has had to bear two cross-country moves, six years of financial hardship and life with an anxiety-ridden neophyte philosopher. That is truly a heavy cross to bear. Elisa, my daughter, is a late-comer to all of this and, mercifully, will not remember life with a graduate-student father. These two ladies are my greatest source of joy and strength. My mother bore me physically for only nine months, but bore me in countless other ways for some twenty-eight years; she is now without burden and I miss her dearly. My father has always been an encourag'2ment and vital source of strength (not to mention money). Without the help and patient guidance of my parents, I would never have been in a position to write this dissertation. It is to my father and the memory of my beloved mother that I dedicate this essay. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .. II II II II II II II II II II II II II II •••••• II II II II II II •••• II. II II II II II II •••••••• II II II II II 1, •• 8 CHAPTER ONE: IN1'RODUCTION: CLARIFYING THE ISSUE AND LAYING THE GROUNDWORK .......... I0 1.1: Introduction ........................................................................ 10 1.2: The Relationship Between Ongoing Justification and Remembering............ 15 1.3: Memory Belief..................................................................... 16 1.4: Epistemic Justification. II II II II ••••• II II II ••••• II •• II II II II II •• II ••••• II ••••••• 18 1.5: Preview of the Project ........................................................... 22 CHAPTER TWO: WHAT IS NATURALIZED EPISTEMOLOGy? ...................................... 24 2.1: Introduction ... ".................................................................... 24 2.2: Two Ways of Naturalizing Epistemology................................. 25 2.3: A Taxonomy of Psychologically Naturalistic Theories.............. 27 2.3.1: Quine's Naturalism ................................................. 27 2.3.2: Pollock's Naturalism ................................................ 31 2.3.3: Goldman's Naturalism ............................................ 36 2.3.4: Kornblith's Moderate Naturalism .............................. 39 2.3.5: An Objection to Moderate Naturalism ........................ .46 2.4: Three Types of Semantic Naturalism.................................... .49 2.5: Conclusion .......................................................................... 65 CHAPTER THREE: NEGATIVE COHERENTISM AND THE PROBLEM OF ONGOING JUSTIFICATION ............ 66 6 3.1: Introduction ........................................................................ 66 3.2: Harman's Position ............................................................... 67 3.3: An Objection to Harman's Account of Belief Perseverance........ 77 3.4: An Objection to Harman's Portrayal of Human Memory.......... 81 3.5: Reasons to Keep Track of the Justification of One's Beliefs ........ 89 3.6: Locating the Difference Between Foundationalism and Coherentism ........................... 95 3. 7: Conservatism .................................................................... 101 3.8: Against Conservatism ........................................................ 110 3.9: Historical Negative Coherentism ......................................... 120 3.10: Conclusion ....................................................................... 122 CHAPTER