gettier-case
/ˈɡɛt.i.ə keɪs/ IELTSAcademic
noun
A case where someone seems to have knowledge, but the belief is true only by luck. It is often used in philosophy to show that true belief is not always knowledge.
- The professor discussed a classic Gettier case.
- This looks true, but it may be a Gettier case.
Adinary Nuance
A Gettier case is not just a false belief or a mistake. The key point is that the person ends up with a true belief for the wrong reason, often by luck. This makes it different from simple error, and also different from ordinary proof or strong evidence. In philosophy, writers use it when they want to question what counts as real knowledge.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- trường hợp Gettier
- Spanish
- caso de Gettier
- Chinese
- 盖梯尔案例
- Japanese
- ゲティアケース
- Korean
- 게티어 사례
Etymology
Named after the American philosopher Edmund Gettier, who wrote about this idea in 1963. The term came into philosophy after his paper challenged a common definition of knowledge.
Common phrases
a Gettier casea classic Gettier caseGettier-style example
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is a Gettier case the same as a false belief?
- No. In a Gettier case, the belief is true, but only because of luck.
- Is Gettier-case used in everyday English?
- No, it is mainly used in philosophy and academic writing.
- What is the difference between a Gettier case and knowledge?
- A Gettier case tests the idea that true belief may still fail to be knowledge.