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Full-Text Articles in Epistemology
The Problem Of Epistemically Irrelevant Causal Factors, Derek L. Mcallister
The Problem Of Epistemically Irrelevant Causal Factors, Derek L. Mcallister
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The problem of epistemically irrelevant causal factors is an epistemological phenomenon that occurs when a person becomes aware of some non-epistemic, causal factor that threatens to adversely influence her present belief, yet this factor is irrelevant to her deliberation concerning that belief. While the problem itself is apparently relatively widespread, very few have given it a detailed analysis. This thesis is one attempt to improve that. The first part, and the bulk, of this thesis is an analysis and explanation of what exactly the problem is and how it differs from nearby, related epistemological phenomena. The second part is my …
Divine Hiddenness And The Challenge Of Inculpable Nonbelief, Matthew R. Sokoloski
Divine Hiddenness And The Challenge Of Inculpable Nonbelief, Matthew R. Sokoloski
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Divine hiddenness is the idea that God is in some sense hidden or obscure. This dissertation responds to J.L. Schellenberg's argument, based on divine hiddenness and human reason, against the existence of God. Schellenberg argues that if a perfectly loving God exists, we would not expect to find such widespread nonbelief in God's existence. Given the amount of reasonable nonbelief in the world, Schellenberg argues that an agnostic ought to conclude that God does not exist rather than conclude that God is hidden. Schellenberg's argument has three major premises: (1) If there is a God, he is perfectly loving; (2) …