Thomas Reid on truth, evidence and first principles

Abstract

Reid had a theory of the human mind containing a theory of truth, both of our evidence of truth and the conditions of truth, fully consistent with empiricism. The justification and evidence of first principles is something felt in consciousness rather than some external relation. This is the result of our faculties, original and natural powers of our constitution. Original convictions and conceptions arise from our faculties in response to experience as a result of our natural development. Reid combines elements of foundationalism, coherentism, falliblism and nominalism. I distinguish and compare Reid to Hume, Moore, Quine, James and Wittgenstein.

Keywords::

• truth
• evidence
• faculties
• first principles
• Thomas Reid

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Keith Lehrer

Keith Lehrer received his B.A. from the University of Minnesota, 1957, and Ph.D. from Brown University, 1960. He is Regents Professor Emeritus, University of Arizona, Research Professor, University of Miami. His research focuses on aesthetics, epistemology, free will, rational consensus and Thomas Reid, and he has published books on these topics. He has been elected as a fellow of the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Council of Learned Societies, the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, and the American Academy of Arts and Science. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Graz. His most recent book is Art, Self and Knowledge which attempts to combine his philosophy with his artwork. His artwork may be found at: keithlehrer.com