cohérentisme

Cohérentisme is a philosophical theory of justification that holds that beliefs are justified if they cohere with a person's other beliefs. This means that a belief is considered reasonable or warranted not because it is supported by direct sensory evidence or foundational truths, but because it fits consistently within a larger system of beliefs. A coherent system is one where the beliefs are mutually supportive and do not contradict each other.

There are different versions of cohérentisme. Some focus on propositional coherence, where the logical consistency between beliefs is paramount. Others emphasize experiential coherence, where the consistency between beliefs and experiences plays a significant role. Advocates of coherentism argue that it offers a more realistic account of how beliefs are justified in everyday life, as we rarely encounter isolated foundational beliefs.

Critics of coherentism often raise the "isolation objection," suggesting that a system of beliefs could be internally coherent but entirely false, disconnected from reality. Another concern is the "alternative systems objection," which posits that multiple, contradictory belief systems could be equally coherent, making it difficult to determine which system, if any, is justified. Despite these criticisms, coherentism remains an influential position in epistemology, offering a compelling alternative to foundationalist theories of justification.