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    Carmelics

    A reasoning platform. Break down any belief into clear reasons, explore both sides, and weigh the evidence honestly.

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    Home/Original/inverse
    See Original
    Inverse View

    It is not the case that Protagoras' view that all beliefs are true entails a contradiction

    ?Set your confidence on the premises below to see your aggregate.

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
    ?
    • 1.If all beliefs are true, then all beliefs about which beliefs are beneficial must also be true
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    • 2.Some beliefs about which beliefs are beneficial contradict other beliefs about which beliefs are beneficial
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    • 3.Contradictory beliefs cannot both be true
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    Reasons Against

    2 perspectives
    Reason against 1 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Protagoras' doctrine entails that the belief 'not all beliefs are true' is itself true, since many people sincerely hold it.
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      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.If 'not all beliefs are true' is true, then Protagoras' doctrine that all beliefs are true is false.
      ?

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    • 3.A doctrine refuted by its own application to itself is self-contradictory — this is Plato's peritrope argument in Theaetetus 171a.
      ?

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    Reason against 2 of 2
    ?
    • 1.For a belief to be true in any meaningful sense, it must be possible for a contrary belief to be false, as Davidson's truth-conditional semantics requires.
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    • 2.Protagoras' doctrine eliminates the contrast class of false beliefs, rendering 'true' semantically vacuous and stripping the doctrine of any assertoric content.
      ?

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    • 3.A doctrine that is semantically vacuous cannot coherently assert anything, including its own truth — making it self-undermining.
      ?

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    Next step

    Based on where you are in your exploration

    Strongest counterpoint
    Explore the most compelling reason on the other side.