Uniqueness and Modesty: How Permissivists Can Live on the Edge

Abstract

Abstract There is a divide in epistemology between those who think that, for any hypothesis and set of total evidence, there is a unique rational credence in that hypothesis (Uniqueness), and those who think that there can be many rational credences (Permissivism). Schultheis (2018) offers a novel and potentially devastating objection to Permissivism, on the grounds that Permissivism permits dominated credences. I will argue that Permissivists can plausibly block Schultheis argument. The issue turns on getting clear about whether we should be certain whether our credences are rational.