On a common formulation, rationalist infallibilism is committed to two main theses: (i) ‘analytic a priori infallibilism’ and (ii) ‘synthetic a priori infallibilism’. According to thesis (i), a relatively wide range of analytic a priori propositions can be infallibly justified. According to thesis (ii), a relatively wide range of synthetic a priori propositions can be infallibly justified. In this paper, the author focuses on rationalist infallibilism’s second main thesis, what is being called ‘synthetic a priori infallibilism’. He argues that synthetic a priori infallibilism, and by extension rationalist infallibilism, is untenable. In particular, exploring what seems to be the only potentially plausible species of synthetic a priori infallibility, he rejects the infallible justification of propositions about the self.
JavaScript is turned off in your web browser. Turn it on to take full advantage of this site, then refresh the page.