Epistemic Bootstrapping

Abstract

This paper concerns the connection between internalist justification and externalist warrant, with the aim of defending what might seem a blatantly circular way of reasoning. Because herds of thirsty pistemologists have muddied the waters I shall not, however, assume any fixed meanings for terms like "justification" and "warrant". I shall not even assume that William Alston (2005) is being unduly defeatist in giving up on the concept of justification, as in his recent work. Instead I shall examine two examples, leaving it to readers to generalise as they see fit. Some preliminary remarks are in order, however, concerning what I mean by the phrases "internalist justification" and "externalist warrant".