Boghossian, Bellarmine, and Galileo: Adjudication and epistemic relativism

Many prominent arguments for epistemic relativism take their departure from the observation that a certain kind of symmetry is present in particular empirical cases. In this paper, we seek to attain further clarity about at issue, and sort which such can reasonably be taken give rise. The need an investigation made apparent, believe, by fact anti-relativist as advanced Boghossian his influential book Fear Knowledge (2006) yield distorted pictures matter. Following Boghossian, our argument through detailed consideration dispute between Bellarmine Galileo concerning heliocentrism. Contrary what claims, relevant does not concern difference fundamental principles Galileo, but rather much more localized procedures adjudication shared novel circumstances generated Galileo's telescopic observations. advance fundamentally different are nevertheless equally rational. upshot so denial there absolute facts such, thinks, matter was most rational way proceed: Bellarmine's or Galileo's. What gives us, fact.