Answer to Question #222533 in Philosophy for Kingfro

Question

How do the stakes differ in Keith DeRose’s first and second bank cases?  

Answer 1

In the first instance, I seem to recall getting my automobile serviced not long ago. When my parents inquire if I'm taking good care of the car, I tell them firmly that I had my Toyota serviced three weeks ago. Everything is the same in the second scenario, except this time our family is planning a cross-country vacation, and automobile troubles may be devastating.In these situations, I may not be able to rely on my recall. That example, before claiming to know when my automobile was serviced, I may look through the records. What has changed in both situations is the necessity of having a safe and reliable vehicle. When the car's dependability becomes important, I hold myself to higher standards by refusing to attribute knowledge to myself merely on the basis of memory evidence.

A second example is the use of 'looks.' Assume you and I are both staring at a basket of red apples, and I comment, "The apples appear red." I have mentioned something that is both obvious and known to both parties. Maybe I'm saying this to imply that I'm not sure about the color of the apples.