Justifications

Justifications are reasons or evidence offered to support a claim, action, or policy. They aim to make a belief rational, defend an action as permissible, or explain a decision to others.

In epistemology, justification is the relation between a belief and the evidence or reasons that make holding that belief rational. Theories include foundationalism (justified beliefs rest on noninferential foundations), coherentism (justification arises from coherence with a system of beliefs), and reliabilism (justification depends on reliable cognitive processes). Justification is not identical to truth or certainty; a belief can be justified and yet false if the evidence is misleading.

In ethics and law, justification concerns whether actions are morally or legally permissible. Moral justification seeks reasons that make an action ethically right; legal justification provides grounds that the law recognizes as excusing or permitting the conduct, such as self-defense, necessity, or duress.

Common contrasts include justification versus excuses. A justification asserts the act was appropriate or lawful; an excuse admits wrongdoing but denies full responsibility due to mitigating circumstances.

Assessing justification involves criteria such as relevance, sufficiency of evidence, non-circular reasoning, and reliability. Context matters: standards vary across disciplines, cultures, and jurisdictions. In everyday use, a justification serves to explain why a claim or action is reasonable, even when others may disagree about its ultimate desirability or legality.