Why Think That Belief Is Evidence-Responsive?

Abstract This chapter presents a novel argument supporting the idea that belief is inherently evidence-responsive, governed by the “Evidence-Responsiveness Constraint.” It draws on the Sellarsian idea that belief functions to mark the “space of reasons,” a space where epistemic norms apply, ensuring that beliefs can be rationally updated in response to evidence. The chapter outlines a methodology to argue for this view, detailing how belief connects to our practices of epistemic assessment and normative regulation. It also discusses how this perspective accounts for animal beliefs and evidence-resistant beliefs like delusions, suggesting that the capacity for rational response is still involved in these cases, even when masked by various factors. Finally, the chapter highlights the benefits of this view, including its implications for understanding belief revision, taxonomizing attitudes, and for ethical and political issues that hang on claims about belief revisability.