,*APT] #aa 
,ON ,9TUITIVE ,KN[L$GE 

#aiabaiab 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,B]TR& ,RUSSELL 

,TEXT 3 

,*,A,P,T,] ,X,I 

,O,N ,9,T,U,I,T,I,V,E ,K,N,[,L,$,G,E 

,!,R,E IS A COMMON IMPRESSION ?AT EV]Y?+ ?AT WE BELIEVE 
\<T TO BE CAPABLE ( PRO(1 OR AT LEA/ ( BE+ %[N TO BE HI<LY 
PROBABLE4 ,IT IS FELT BY MANY ?AT A BELIEF = :I* NO REASON CAN BE 
GIV5 IS AN UNREASONABLE BELIEF4 ,9 ! MA91 ?IS VIEW IS JU/4 
,ALMO/ ALL \R COMMON BELIEFS >E EI!R 9F]R$1 OR CAPABLE ( 
BE+ 9F]R$1 FROM O!R BELIEFS :I* MAY BE REG>D$ AS GIV+ 
! REASON = !M4 ,AS A RULE1 ! REASON HAS BE5 =GOTT51 OR HAS 
EV5 NEV] BE5 CONSCI\SLY PRES5T TO \R M9DS4 ,FEW ( US EV] ASK 
\RSELVES1 = EXAMPLE1 :AT REASON !RE IS TO SUPPOSE ! FOOD WE 
>E JU/ GO+ TO EAT WILL NOT TURN \T TO BE POISON4 ,YET WE FEEL1  
:5 *ALL5G$1 ?AT A P]FECTLY GOOD REASON C\LD BE F\ND1 EV5 IF 
WE >E NOT READY ) IT AT ! MOM5T4 ,& 9 ?IS BELIEF WE >E 
USUALLY JU/IFI$4 

,BUT LET US IMAG9E SOME 9SI/5T ,SOCRATES1 :O1 :ATEV] 
REASON WE GIVE HIM1 CONT9UES TO DEM& A REASON = ! REASON4 ,WE 
MU/ SOON] OR LAT]1 & PROBABLY BE=E V]Y LONG1 BE DRIV5 TO A 
PO9T :]E WE CANNOT F9D ANY FUR!R REASON1 & :]E IT BECOMES 
ALMO/ C]TA9 ?AT NO FUR!R REASON IS EV5 !ORETICALLY 
DISCOV]ABLE4 ,/>T+ ) ! COMMON BELIEFS ( DAILY LIFE1 WE CAN 
BE DRIV5 BACK FROM PO9T TO PO9T1 UNTIL WE COME TO SOME G5]AL 
PR9CIPLE1 OR SOME 9/ANCE ( A G5]AL PR9CIPLE1 :I* SEEMS 
LUM9\SLY EVID5T1 & IS NOT ITSELF CAPABLE ( BE+ D$UC$ FROM 
ANY?+ MORE EVID5T4 ,9 MO/ QUE/IONS ( DAILY LIFE1 SU* AS 
:E!R \R FOOD IS LIKELY TO BE N\RI%+ & NOT POISON\S1 WE 
%ALL BE DRIV5 BACK TO ! 9DUCTIVE PR9CIPLE1 :I* WE DISCUSS$ 
9 ,*APT] ,V,I4 ,BUT BEYOND ?AT1 !RE SEEMS TO BE NO FUR!R REGRESS4 
,! PR9CIPLE ITSELF IS CON/ANTLY US$ 9 \R REASON+1 SOMETIMES 
CONSCI\SLY1 SOMETIMES UNCONSCI\SLY2 BUT !RE IS NO REASON+ 
:I*1 />T+ FROM SOME SIMPL] SELF-EVID5T PR9CIPLE1 LEADS US TO 
! PR9CIPLE ( 9DUCTION AS ITS CONCLUSION4 ,& ! SAME HOLDS = 
O!R LOGICAL PR9CIPLES4 ,!IR TRU? IS EVID5T TO US1 & WE EMPLOY 
!M 9 CON/RUCT+ DEMON/RATIONS2 BUT !Y !MSELVES1 OR AT LEA/ 
SOME ( !M1 >E 9CAPABLE ( DEMON/RATION4 

,SELF-EVID5CE1 H[EV]1 IS NOT CONF9$ TO ?OSE AMONG G5]AL 
PR9CIPLES :I* >E 9CAPABLE ( PRO(4 ,:5 A C]TA9 NUMB] ( 
LOGICAL PR9CIPLES HAVE BE5 ADMITT$1 ! RE/ CAN BE D$UC$ FROM 
!M2 BUT ! PROPOSITIONS D$UC$ >E (T5 JU/ AS SELF-EVID5T AS 
?OSE ?AT W]E ASSUM$ )\T PRO(4 ,ALL >I?METIC1 MOREOV]1 CAN 
BE D$UC$ FROM ! G5]AL PR9CIPLES ( LOGIC1 YET ! SIMPLE 
PROPOSITIONS ( >I?METIC1 SU* AS 'TWO & TWO >E F\R'1 >E JU/ 
AS SELF-EVID5T AS ! PR9CIPLES ( LOGIC4 

,IT W\LD SEEM1 ALSO1 ?\< ?IS IS MORE DISPUTABLE1 ?AT 
!RE >E SOME SELF-EVID5T E?ICAL PR9CIPLES1 SU* AS 'WE \<T TO 
PURSUE :AT IS GOOD'4 

,IT %\LD BE OBS]V$ ?AT1 9 ALL CASES ( G5]AL 
PR9CIPLES1 P>TICUL> 9/ANCES1 DEAL+ ) FAMILI> ?+S1 >E 
MORE EVID5T ?AN ! G5]AL PR9CIPLE4 ,= EXAMPLE1 ! LAW ( 
CONTRADICTION /ATES ?AT NO?+ CAN BO? HAVE A C]TA9 PROP]TY 
& NOT HAVE IT4 ,?IS IS EVID5T AS SOON AS IT IS UND]/OOD1 BUT IT 
IS NOT SO EVID5T AS ?AT A P>TICUL> ROSE :I* WE SEE CANNOT BE 
BO? R$ & NOT R$4 7,IT IS ( C\RSE POSSIBLE ?AT P>TS ( ! 
ROSE MAY BE R$ & P>TS NOT R$1 OR ?AT ! ROSE MAY BE ( A %ADE 
( P9K :I* WE H>DLY KN[ :E!R TO CALL R$ OR NOT2 BUT 9 ! 
=M] CASE IT IS PLA9 ?AT ! ROSE AS A :OLE IS NOT R$1 :ILE 9 
! LATT] CASE ! ANSW] IS !ORETICALLY DEF9ITE AS SOON AS WE 
HAVE DECID$ ON A PRECISE DEF9ITION ( 'R$'47 ,IT IS USUALLY ?R\< 
P>TICUL> 9/ANCES ?AT WE COME TO BE ABLE TO SEE ! G5]AL 
PR9CIPLE4 ,ONLY ?OSE :O >E PRACTIC$ 9 DEAL+ ) AB/RACTIONS 
CAN READILY GRASP A G5]AL PR9CIPLE )\T ! HELP ( 9/ANCES4 

,9 ADDITION TO G5]AL PR9CIPLES1 ! O!R K9D ( 
SELF-EVID5T TRU?S >E ?OSE IMM$IATELY D]IV$ FROM S5SATION4 ,WE 
WILL CALL SU* TRU?S 'TRU?S ( P]CEPTION'1 & ! JUDGM5TS 
EXPRESS+ !M WE WILL CALL 'JUDGM5TS ( P]CEPTION'4 ,BUT H]E A 
C]TA9 AM\NT ( C>E IS REQUIR$ 9 GETT+ AT ! PRECISE NATURE 
( ! TRU?S ?AT >E SELF-EVID5T4 ,! ACTUAL S5SE-DATA >E 
NEI!R TRUE NOR FALSE4 ,A P>TICUL> PAT* ( COLOR :I* ,I SEE1 = 
EXAMPLE1 SIMPLY EXI/S3 IT IS NOT ! SORT ( ?+ ?AT IS TRUE OR 
FALSE4 ,IT IS TRUE ?AT !RE IS SU* A PAT*1 TRUE ?AT IT HAS A 
C]TA9 %APE & DEGREE ( BRI<TNESS1 TRUE ?AT IT IS SURR\ND$ BY 
C]TA9 O!R COLORS4 ,BUT ! PAT* ITSELF1 LIKE EV]Y?+ ELSE 9 
! WORLD ( S5SE1 IS ( A RADICALLY DIFF]5T K9D FROM ! ?+S 
?AT >E TRUE OR FALSE1 & !RE=E CANNOT PROP]LY BE SAID TO BE 
TRUE4 ,?US :ATEV] SELF-EVID5T TRU?S MAY BE OBTA9$ FROM 
\R S5SES MU/ BE DIFF]5T FROM ! S5SE-DATA FROM :I* !Y >E 
OBTA9$4 

,IT W\LD SEEM ?AT !RE >E TWO K9DS ( SELF-EVID5T TRU?S 
( P]CEPTION1 ?\< P]HAPS 9 ! LA/ ANALYSIS ! TWO K9DS MAY 
COALESCE4 ,FIR/1 !RE IS ! K9D :I* SIMPLY ASS]TS ! EXI/5CE 
( ! S5SE-DATUM1 )\T 9 ANY WAY ANALYZ+ IT4 ,WE SEE A PAT* 
( R$1 & WE JUDGE '!RE IS SU*-&-SU* A PAT* ( R$'1 OR MORE 
/RICTLY '!RE IS ?AT'2 ?IS IS ONE K9D ( 9TUITIVE JUDGM5T ( 
P]CEPTION4 ,! O!R K9D >ISES :5 ! OBJECT ( S5SE IS 
COMPLEX1 & WE SUBJECT IT TO SOME DEGREE ( ANALYSIS4 ,IF1 = 
9/ANCE1 WE SEE A R\ND PAT* ( R$1 WE MAY JUDGE '?AT PAT* ( 
R$ IS R\ND'4 ,?IS IS AGA9 A JUDGM5T ( P]CEPTION1 BUT IT 
DIFF]S FROM \R PREVI\S K9D4 ,9 \R PRES5T K9D WE HAVE A S+LE 
S5SE-DATUM :I* HAS BO? COLOR & %APE3 ! COLOR IS R$ & 
! %APE IS R\ND4 ,\R JUDGM5T ANALYZES ! DATUM 9TO COLOR & 
%APE1 & !N RECOMB9ES !M BY /AT+ ?AT ! R$ COLOR IS 
R\ND 9 %APE4 ,ANO!R EXAMPLE ( ?IS K9D ( JUDGM5T IS '?IS IS 
TO ! RI<T ( ?AT'1 :]E '?IS' & '?AT' >E SE5 
SIMULTANE\SLY4 ,9 ?IS K9D ( JUDGM5T ! S5SE-DATUM CONTA9S 
CON/ITU5TS :I* HAVE SOME RELATION TO EA* O!R1 & ! 
JUDGM5T ASS]TS ?AT !SE CON/ITU5TS HAVE ?IS RELATION4 

,ANO!R CLASS ( 9TUITIVE JUDGM5TS1 ANALOG\S TO ?OSE ( 
S5SE & YET QUITE DI/9CT FROM !M1 >E JUDGM5TS ( 
MEMORY4 ,!RE IS SOME DANG] ( CONFUSION AS TO ! NATURE 
( MEMORY1 [+ TO ! FACT ?AT MEMORY ( AN OBJECT IS APT TO BE 
ACCOMPANI$ BY AN IMAGE ( ! OBJECT1 & YET ! IMAGE CANNOT BE 
:AT CON/ITUTES MEMORY4 ,?IS IS EASILY SE5 BY M]ELY NOTIC+ ?AT 
! IMAGE IS 9 ! PRES5T1 :]EAS :AT IS REMEMB]$ IS KN[N TO 
BE 9 ! PA/4 ,MOREOV]1 WE >E C]TA9LY ABLE TO SOME EXT5T TO 
COMP>E \R IMAGE ) ! OBJECT REMEMB]$1 SO ?AT WE (T5 KN[1  
)9 SOME:AT WIDE LIMITS1 H[ F> \R IMAGE IS ACCURATE2 BUT ?IS 
W\LD BE IMPOSSIBLE1 UNLESS ! OBJECT1 AS OPPOS$ TO ! IMAGE1 W]E 
9 SOME WAY BE=E ! M9D4 ,?US ! ESS5CE ( MEMORY IS NOT 
CON/ITUT$ BY ! IMAGE1 BUT BY HAV+ IMM$IATELY BE=E ! M9D 
AN OBJECT :I* IS RECOGNIZ$ AS PA/4 ,BUT = ! FACT ( MEMORY 9 
?IS S5SE1 WE %\LD NOT KN[ ?AT !RE EV] WAS A PA/ AT ALL1 NOR 
%\LD WE BE ABLE TO UND]/& ! WORD 'PA/'1 ANY MORE ?AN A MAN 
BORN BL9D CAN UND]/& ! WORD 'LI<T'4 ,?US !RE MU/ BE 
9TUITIVE JUDGM5TS ( MEMORY1 & IT IS UPON !M1 ULTIMATELY1 ?AT 
ALL \R KN[L$GE ( ! PA/ DEP5DS4 

,! CASE ( MEMORY1 H[EV]1 RAISES A DIFFICULTY1 = IT IS 
NOTORI\SLY FALLACI\S1 & ?US ?R[S D\BT ON ! TRU/WOR?9ESS 
( 9TUITIVE JUDGM5TS 9 G5]AL4 ,?IS DIFFICULTY IS NO LI<T ONE4 
,BUT LET US FIR/ N>R[ ITS SCOPE AS F> AS POSSIBLE4 ,BROADLY 
SPEAK+1 MEMORY IS TRU/WOR?Y 9 PROPORTION TO ! VIVIDNESS ( ! 
EXP]I5CE & TO ITS NE>NESS 9 TIME4 ,IF ! H\SE NEXT DOOR WAS 
/RUCK BY LI<TN+ HALF A M9UTE AGO1 MY MEMORY ( :AT ,I SAW & 
HE>D WILL BE SO RELIABLE ?AT IT W\LD BE PREPO/]\S TO D\BT 
:E!R !RE HAD BE5 A FLA% AT ALL4 ,& ! SAME APPLIES TO LESS 
VIVID EXP]I5CES1 SO LONG AS !Y >E REC5T4 ,I AM ABSOLUTELY 
C]TA9 ?AT HALF A M9UTE AGO ,I WAS SITT+ 9 ! SAME *AIR 9 
:I* ,I AM SITT+ N[4 ,GO+ BACKW>D OV] ! DAY1 ,I F9D ?+S ( 
:I* ,I AM QUITE C]TA91 O!R ?+S ( :I* ,I AM ALMO/ C]TA91  
O!R ?+S ( :I* ,I CAN BECOME C]TA9 BY ?\<T & BY CALL+ 
UP ATT5DANT CIRCUM/ANCES1 & SOME ?+S ( :I* ,I AM BY NO MEANS 
C]TA94 ,I AM QUITE C]TA9 ?AT ,I ATE MY BREAKFA/ ?IS MORN+1 BUT 
IF ,I W]E AS 9DIFF]5T TO MY BREAKFA/ AS A PHILOSOPH] %\LD BE1  
,I %\LD BE D\BTFUL4 ,AS TO ! CONV]SATION AT BREAKFA/1 ,I CAN 
RECALL SOME ( IT EASILY1 SOME ) AN EF=T1 SOME ONLY ) A L>GE 
ELEM5T ( D\BT1 & SOME NOT AT ALL4 ,?US !RE IS A CONT9UAL 
GRADATION 9 ! DEGREE ( SELF-EVID5CE ( :AT ,I REMEMB]1 & A 
CORRESPOND+ GRADATION 9 ! TRU/WOR?9ESS ( MY MEMORY4 

,?US ! FIR/ ANSW] TO ! DIFFICULTY ( FALLACI\S MEMORY 
IS TO SAY ?AT MEMORY HAS DEGREES ( SELF-EVID5CE1 & ?AT !SE 
CORRESPOND TO ! DEGREES ( ITS TRU/WOR?9ESS1 REA*+ A LIMIT ( 
P]FECT SELF-EVID5CE & P]FECT TRU/WOR?9ESS 9 \R MEMORY ( 
EV5TS :I* >E REC5T & VIVID4 

,IT W\LD SEEM1 H[EV]1 ?AT !RE >E CASES ( V]Y FIRM 
BELIEF 9 A MEMORY :I* IS :OLLY FALSE4 ,IT IS PROBABLE ?AT1 9 
!SE CASES1 :AT IS REALLY REMEMB]$1 9 ! S5SE ( BE+ 
IMM$IATELY BE=E ! M9D1 IS SOME?+ O!R ?AN :AT IS FALSELY 
BELIEV$ 91 ?\< SOME?+ G5]ALLY ASSOCIAT$ ) IT4 ,GEORGE ,I,V 
IS SAID TO HAVE AT LA/ BELIEV$ ?AT HE WAS AT ! BATTLE ( 
,WAT]LOO1 BECAUSE HE HAD SO (T5 SAID ?AT HE WAS4 ,9 ?IS CASE1  
:AT WAS IMM$IATELY REMEMB]$ WAS HIS REPEAT$ ASS]TION2 ! 
BELIEF 9 :AT HE WAS ASS]T+ 7IF IT EXI/$7 W\LD BE PRODUC$ BY 
ASSOCIATION ) ! REMEMB]$ ASS]TION1 & W\LD !RE=E NOT BE 
A G5U9E CASE ( MEMORY4 ,IT W\LD SEEM ?AT CASES ( FALLACI\S 
MEMORY CAN PROBABLY ALL BE DEALT ) 9 ?IS WAY1 I4E4 !Y CAN BE 
%[N TO BE NOT CASES ( MEMORY 9 ! /RICT S5SE AT ALL4 

,ONE IMPORTANT PO9T AB\T SELF-EVID5CE IS MADE CLE> BY ! 
CASE ( MEMORY1 & ?AT IS1 ?AT SELF-EVID5CE HAS DEGREES3 IT IS 
NOT A QUALITY :I* IS SIMPLY PRES5T OR ABS5T1 BUT A QUALITY :I* 
MAY BE MORE OR LESS PRES5T1 9 GRADATIONS RANG+ FROM ABSOLUTE 
C]TA9TY D[N TO AN ALMO/ IMP]CEPTIBLE FA9TNESS4 ,TRU?S ( 
P]CEPTION & SOME ( ! PR9CIPLES ( LOGIC HAVE ! V]Y HI<E/ 
DEGREE ( SELF-EVID5CE2 TRU?S ( IMM$IATE MEMORY HAVE AN ALMO/ 
EQUALLY HI< DEGREE4 ,! 9DUCTIVE PR9CIPLE HAS LESS SELF-EVID5CE 
?AN SOME ( ! O!R PR9CIPLES ( LOGIC1 SU* AS ':AT FOLL[S 
FROM A TRUE PREMISE MU/ BE TRUE'4 ,MEMORIES HAVE A DIM9I%+ 
SELF-EVID5CE AS !Y BECOME REMOT] & FA9T]2 ! TRU?S ( LOGIC 
& MA!MATICS HAVE 7BROADLY SPEAK+7 LESS SELF-EVID5CE AS !Y 
BECOME MORE COMPLICAT$4 ,JUDGM5TS ( 9TR9SIC E?ICAL OR ES!TIC 
VALUE >E APT TO HAVE SOME SELF-EVID5CE1 BUT NOT MU*4 

,DEGREES ( SELF-EVID5CE >E IMPORTANT 9 ! !ORY ( 
KN[L$GE1 S9CE1 IF PROPOSITIONS MAY 7AS SEEMS LIKELY7 HAVE SOME 
DEGREE ( SELF-EVID5CE )\T BE+ TRUE1 IT WILL NOT BE NECESS>Y 
TO AB&ON ALL CONNECTION BETWE5 SELF-EVID5CE & TRU?1 BUT M]ELY 
TO SAY ?AT1 :]E !RE IS A CONFLICT1 ! MORE SELF-EVID5T 
PROPOSITION IS TO BE RETA9$ & ! LESS SELF-EVID5T REJECT$4 

,IT SEEMS1 H[EV]1 HI<LY PROBABLE ?AT TWO DIFF]5T NOTIONS 
>E COMB9$ 9 'SELF-EVID5CE' AS ABOVE EXPLA9$2 ?AT ONE ( !M1  
:I* CORRESPONDS TO ! HI<E/ DEGREE ( SELF-EVID5CE1 IS REALLY 
AN 9FALLIBLE GU>ANTEE ( TRU?1 :ILE ! O!R1 :I* CORRESPONDS 
TO ALL ! O!R DEGREES1 DOES NOT GIVE AN 9FALLIBLE GU>ANTEE1 BUT 
ONLY A GREAT] OR LESS PRESUMPTION4 ,?IS1 H[EV]1 IS ONLY A 
SUGGE/ION1 :I* WE CANNOT AS YET DEVELOP FUR!R4 ,AFT] WE HAVE 
DEALT ) ! NATURE ( TRU?1 WE %ALL RETURN TO ! SUBJECT ( 
SELF-EVID5CE1 9 CONNECTION ) ! DI/9CTION BETWE5 KN[L$GE 
& ]ROR4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,NOVEMB] #c1 #aiaa 3 ,*APT] #aa -- ,PUBLICATION4 
,JANU>Y #a#f1 #bb 3 ,*APT] #aa -- ,ADD$4 

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