论当代知识论的“合理证明”概念——兼与陈嘉明教授商榷

The Concept of Epistemic Justification in Contemporary Epistemology Discussions with Prof.Chen Jiaming

知识是一种复合状态,作为其要素的合理证明是用于评价认识关系R(S,E,p,t)的规范性概念,它的功能在于将真信念转化为知识;合理证明有程度高低之分,亦有性质与活动之别,而且随相关要素的变化而变化;它很可能通向真理但并不保证真理;合理证明并不等于"确证","确证"的要求太高,且蕴含着"信念"和"真",合理证明的要求要宽松得多,且并不必然蕴含"信念"和"真"。

Epistemic justification,as an element of the composite state of knowing,is a normative concept used to evaluate the epistemic relation of R(S,E,p,t),and the essential function of it is to convert true belief to knowledge. Justification is a matter of degree,and it varies according to the cognizer,justifier,and time. T he justified belief is likely to be true,but it is not necessarily to be true. W e agree that it is very important to distinguish between the activity of justifying a belief and a belief's property of being justified,and we also notice that the concept of epistemic justification discussed in contemporary epistemology is quite different from the concept of verification used by C hen Jiaming. C hen's C oncept of verification entails concepts of belief and truth,but epistemic justification does not entails those two concepts.