infallibilism
- noun
- /ɪnˈfælɪbɪlɪzəm/
- Specialized
- The theory of infallibilism claims that some beliefs are immune to error.
Examples
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Critics of infallibilism argue that certainty is impossible in human knowledge.
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Debates about infallibilism are common in epistemology courses at university.
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Is infallibilism a valid approach?
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Many philosophers debate infallibilism.
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Many philosophers argue that infallibilism maintains that certain truths are beyond doubt.
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In discussion groups, students often explore the implications of infallibilism in relation to certainty.
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At the conference, the speaker presented a strong case for infallibilism in the realm of scientific knowledge.
Synonyms
Being unable to make mistakes
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
infallibilism = infallible (transparent) = in + fallible + ism
The step from 'infallible' to 'infallibilism' is a standard and clear use of '-ism' to name a doctrine or belief.
Etymology
Infallibilism comes from the parts in- ('not') and fallible ('able to be wrong'), so it means 'not able to be wrong'. In philosophy, it is the view that some knowledge or beliefs are completely certain and cannot be mistaken.