TY - JOUR
T1 - On the possibility of skeptical scenarios
AU - Kung, Peter
PY - 2011/9
Y1 - 2011/9
N2 - It is generally accepted that skeptical scenarios must be possible to raise legitimate skeptical doubt. I argue that if the possibility in question is supposed to be genuine metaphysical possibility, the skeptic's reasoning does not straightforwardly succeed. I first motivate the metaphysical possibility requirement on skeptical scenarios: it's a plausible position that several authors accept and that a family of prominent views - sensitivity, safety, relevant alternatives - are committed to. I argue that plausible constraints in modal epistemology show that justification for believing that certain global skeptical scenarios are metaphysically possible rests on some justified beliefs about the external world, and that this undermines the skeptical argument. While there may still be local skeptical challenges, skeptics cannot appeal to the metaphysical possibility of skeptical scenarios to generate global external world skepticism.
AB - It is generally accepted that skeptical scenarios must be possible to raise legitimate skeptical doubt. I argue that if the possibility in question is supposed to be genuine metaphysical possibility, the skeptic's reasoning does not straightforwardly succeed. I first motivate the metaphysical possibility requirement on skeptical scenarios: it's a plausible position that several authors accept and that a family of prominent views - sensitivity, safety, relevant alternatives - are committed to. I argue that plausible constraints in modal epistemology show that justification for believing that certain global skeptical scenarios are metaphysically possible rests on some justified beliefs about the external world, and that this undermines the skeptical argument. While there may still be local skeptical challenges, skeptics cannot appeal to the metaphysical possibility of skeptical scenarios to generate global external world skepticism.
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1468-0378.2009.00382.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1468-0378.2009.00382.x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:80052108206
SN - 0966-8373
VL - 19
SP - 387
EP - 407
JO - European Journal of Philosophy
JF - European Journal of Philosophy
IS - 3
ER -