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practical-certainty
The notion that knowledge requires certainty sufficient for practical life and reasoning, not absolute, infallible certainty.
1 chapter across 1 book
Epistemology: An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge (2003)Nicholas Rescher
Chapter 3
Chapter 3 addresses skepticism by challenging the skeptic's demand for absolute certainty as a precondition for knowledge. Rescher argues that knowledge requires practical or effective certainty rather than infallible logical certainty, emphasizing that knowledge claims are warranted by evidence as conclusive as reasonably possible, not by exhaustive proof. The chapter critiques skepticism as economically and practically irrational, rooted in unrealistic standards and an unwillingness to accept cognitive risks.