Appearances can provide non-trivial explanations for what one believes (e.g., one is inclined to believe a bus is approaching because it perceptually seems that a bus is approaching); understanding the appearance as itself an inclination to believe trivializes the explanation.

What exactly are these “seemings” or “appearances”? The distinction between seemings and beliefs is typically introduced with examples. Once we are familiar with the Müller-Lyer illusion, we no longer believe that the lines are of unequal length even though, in some sense, they still appear to be unequal. The same holds for various apparent intuitions and apparent memories that we become convinced are false. Moreover, beliefs are subject to epistemic norms and can be supported by epistemic reaso