Infinitism and probabilistic justification

Benjamin Bewersdorf

pp. 691-699

in: Jeanne Peijnenburg, Sylvia Wenmackers (eds), Infinite regress in decision theory, philosophy of science, and formal epistemology, Synthese 191 (4), 2014.

Abstract

According to infinitism, beliefs can be justified by an infinite chain of reasons. So far, infinitism has rarely been taken seriously and often even dismissed as inconsistent. However, Peijnenburg and Atkinson have recently argued that beliefs can indeed be justified by an infinite chain of reasons, if justification is understood probabilistically. In the following, I will discuss the formal result that has led to this conclusion. I will then introduce three probabilistic explications of justification and examine to which extent they support Peijnenburg’s and Atkinson’s claim.