Foundationalism and the Infinite Regress of Reasons

Abstract

Richard Fumerton's admirable defense of foundationalism depends upon some arguments against the possibility of the infinite regress of justificatory reasons. One reason for preferring foundationalism is, he claims, that infinitism (the view that justificatory reasons are infinite) should be rejected.' I will try to show that the arguments against infinitism do not succeed. Since a key ingredient in his rejection of infinitism is his account of inferential justification, I will offer some critical comments about that along the way. There is one important claim on which Fumerton and I agree that should be mentioned before I begin to discuss his rejection of infinitism. It is central to that discussion: