How Contextualism Can Be Used to Disregard Skepticism

Contextualism today, is defined as the truth of a particular knowledge ascription dependent on the context in which that truth is uttered. Over the past century and decades there have been many great debates between philosopher’s over contextualism and how it can be used to disregard Skepticism. I agree with Cohen’s defense of Contextualism in regard’s to both how he answers Skepticism and Conee’s objections. Cohen starts off his defense of Contextualism by first explaining the skeptical paradox. The skeptical paradox here is the paradox that Cohen sees between Skepticism and Contextualism Cohen argues that he does see conflict in the paradox, as all the terms can be true dependent on the context in which it is used. The skeptical†¦show more content†¦This brings Cohen to the question the fact that in our minds already determining that such strict skeptical standards don’t exist is incorrect as in most cases they can. In essence they are intuitive judgments, and we can control those judgments. Consequently, this leads Cohen to state that we as individuals do not know whether our intuitive skeptical judgments are made on correct/false inquiries about skeptical claims. Cohen describes that even if there is such a correct theory that our skeptical judgments are correct the question still to be asked/answered is why we have those intuitions and where such intuitions stem from. It is only then according to Cohen that we may find a rational answer as a resolution to that paradox. This argument put forth by Cohen takes into account the varied applications that we don’t see in everyday common sense claims. The fact that Cohen believes that stricter standards can still be applied shows to us that it doesn’t depend on the claim and that almost every claim can be with held to that higher standard of knowledge. To already presume something to a have lower knowledge standard is something that could be changed when brought into conversation with individuals who question matter inherently before it can be passed down as knowledge. In simpler words it doesn’t matter what the claim is a stricter skeptical standard can always be applied. Another objectionShow MoreRelatedHerbert Spencer Essay13142 Words   |  53 Pageselaborated in two major works, Descriptive Sociology (published in 17 volumes, 1873-1934) and The Study of Sociology (1873). Spencer was particularly influential in the United States until the turn of the century. According to William Graham Sumner, who used The Study of Sociology as a text in the first sociology course offered in an American university, it was Spencers work which established sociology as a separate, legitimate field in its own right. Spencers demand that historians present the natural