what
’
s in a contrast class? 75
What’s in a contrast class?
Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
Alexander Bird (2001) raises deep and important problems for my (1996)
theory of justified belief. Bird’s arguments also affect related views, includ-
ing contextualism and relevant alternatives theories, but my main concern
is to defend my own position. After some clarifications, I will respond to
Bird’s criticisms.
1. Bird defines contextualism as claiming that ‘what is required for justifi-
cation can vary from context to context’. He classifies my position as indi-
rect contextualism, which claims, ‘contexts determine contrast classes of
relevant propositions’ (2001: 98). I deny both of these quoted claims. Some
of what I said was misleading in this respect, so I need to clarify what I
meant.
A basketball guard might be tall for his family but short for a profes-
sional basketball player. It makes no sense to ask whether he is simply tall.
Analogously, someone can be justified in believing something as opposed
to the other members of one contrast class but not as opposed to the other
Analysis 62.1, January 2002, pp. 75–84. © Walter Sinnott-Armstrong