Reliabilism is a philosophy that emphasizes the reliability of knowledge formation processes as the basis for determining whether a belief is justified. It is pronounced /rɪˈlaɪəbəlɪzəm/ [rih-lahy-uh-buh-liz-uhm], with the primary stress on the second syllable. The word is spelled with the combination of the stems "reliable" and "-ism", signaling a belief or doctrine. Reliabilism has been influential in epistemology, the study of knowledge, and has been used to address issues in fields such as ethics, education, and psychology.
Reliabilism is a philosophical concept that pertains to epistemology, which is the branch of philosophy concerned with the study of knowledge. It is an influential theory that seeks to understand the conditions under which a belief can be considered knowledge. Reliabilism posits that knowledge is obtained through reliable processes or methods of belief formation.
According to reliabilism, a belief can be considered knowledge if it is produced by a process that tends to yield true beliefs more often than not. The focus is on the reliability of the process rather than the truth of the belief itself. Reliabilism suggests that knowledge is not limited to subjective justifications or internal mental states, but rather requires a connection to an external world.
Central to reliabilism is the idea that knowledge involves a reliable relationship between one's beliefs and the truth of the matter. For example, a person's belief that it is raining outside is considered knowledge if it is formed by a reliable process, such as perception or consulting a reliable weather forecast. If the beliefs formed by these processes tend to be accurate, they are said to be reliable and capable of producing knowledge.
Critics of reliabilism have raised various objections, such as challenges to define the notion of reliability or its application to more complex forms of knowledge. Despite these criticisms, reliabilism remains a prominent theory in epistemology and provides a valuable perspective in understanding the conditions for obtaining knowledge.
The word "reliabilism" is derived from the noun "reliability" and the suffix "-ism".
The noun "reliability" comes from the adjective "reliable", which originated in the early 17th century. "Reliable" is formed by combining the prefix "re-" meaning "again" or "backward", and "liable", which comes from the Latin word "liabilis", meaning "subject to". The word "liable" itself traces back to the Latin "ligare", which means "to bind".
The suffix "-ism" is a noun-forming suffix that indicates a system, theory, or practice, or a characteristic, quality, or condition. It is derived from the Latin "-ismus" or Greek "-ismos".
So, when combined, "reliabilism" refers to a system or theory centered around reliability or the quality of being reliable.