Foundationalism

Foundationalism is the theory that some beliefs are justified independently of other beliefs and provide a basis for justifying further beliefs.

Basic belief: A belief whose justification does not depend on justification for other beliefs. Basic beliefs supply the independent starting points that foundationalism requires.
Epistemology: The branch of philosophy that studies knowledge, belief, and justification. Foundationalism is an account of how justification is structured within epistemology.
Infinitism: The view that justification depends on an infinite, nonrepeating chain of reasons. Infinitism denies that justification must rest on foundational beliefs.
René Descartes: A seventeenth-century French philosopher who sought secure knowledge through methodical doubt. Descartes’ search for indubitable starting points became a landmark foundationalist project.
Given (epistemology): The idea that experience can provide immediate, noninferential epistemic justification. The debate over the Given asks whether experience can genuinely ground basic beliefs.
Inferential justification: Justification for a belief derived from reasons or evidence supporting it. Foundationalism uses inference to transmit justification from basic beliefs to other beliefs.
Epistemic justification: The normative status that makes a belief epistemically responsible or supported by adequate grounds. Foundationalism explains how beliefs acquire this status from basic beliefs.
Skepticism: The philosophical position that doubts or denies the possibility of knowledge in some domain. Skeptical arguments challenge whether foundational beliefs can provide enough support for knowledge.
John Locke: A seventeenth-century English philosopher whose works shaped empiricism and theories of knowledge. Locke treated experience as a central source of ideas and epistemic support.
Noninferential knowledge: Knowledge acquired without deriving the belief from other beliefs through inference. Foundationalism must explain how noninferentially justified beliefs arise and remain reliable.

Linked from 15 pages