The Münchhausen Trilemma

Описание: Baron Münchhausen rode his horse into a swamp and got stuck. In order to free himself and his horse from the mire he came up with a clever solution—he grabbed his own hair with his hands and pulled upward, pulling himself and his horse out of the mud. Obviously, this is impossible! That is the point of the German folktale. Additionally, it has become a nickname for a three-part problem is epistemology—a theory of knowledge or how we know what we know.

How do we know what we know?

We will find that any answer one gives will end in one of three logical problems that make knowledge impossible—infinite regress, circular reasoning, or axiomatic grounding.

Infinite Regress

How do you know a? Because of b. How do you know b? Because of c. How do you know c? Because of d.... and so on infinitely.

Infinite regress means that there is always another reason underneath why someone knows something. An infinite number of reasons, however, means infinite knowledge. Finite humans cannot access infinite knowledge, therefore, knowledge becomes impossible.

Circular Reasoning

How do you know a? Because of b. How do you know b? Because of a.

Circular reasoning or question-begging has an explanatory chain that ends, but ends by assuming what it seeks to prove—a logical error. This makes reasoning arbitrary, even if it is consistent. A proves B and B proves A. Both claims lack justification (good reasons) for why they are true.

Axiomatic Grounding

Why do you believe a? Because of a. A cannot be explained.

The chain of reasoning ends in at least one unjustified ultimate standard or axiom that cannot be explained. All other beliefs based on this unjustified standard are themselves unjustified. If the ultimate standard is unjustified, then all beliefs based on it are unjustified.

A Quadrilemma?

This would seem to conclude that knowledge is impossible. If we demonstrate, however, that knowledge is impossible we have immediately added another self-refuting statement to the mix because it is a claim to knowledge (we must know that knowledge is impossible).

If we deny knowledge by proposing the impossibility of knowledge, however, we create a quadrilemma—adding a fourth problem by making the self-refuting knowledge-claim that knowledge is impossible. We would have to know knowledge is impossible.

Solution/Conclusion

Human beings are in a position where logically they can neither deny nor affirm knowledge.

Logical errors typically involve inconsistency and/or arbitrariness.

All claims are, in the final analysis, circular. There is a difference between being arbitrarily circular and being non-arbitrarily circular. Circular reasoning is technically valid, but it is usually considered fallacious because it usually involves arbitrariness—lacking justified reasons for believing something. A virtuous circle, however, is a circular argument that is valid and non-arbitrary, for example, assuming laws of logic in order to argue for laws of logic, assuming our reasoning in order to use our reasoning, or using our senses in order to demonstrate the reliability our senses. It can be reasonable to believe in something if one must assume it exists in order to argue against it.

Proverbs 1:7—“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

If our minds and senses, which we use to know the world, were then all our beliefs would be unjustified. Knowledge would be impossible. Knowledge is possible (whether professed or not) because of the God of the Bible who is the transcendent Creator. This is consistent and non-arbitrary. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ (Colossians 2:2-3).

All other worldviews depend on the worldview of Biblical Christianity to be true because without those presuppositions they result in fallacy, arbitrariness, or absurdity. This is destructive circular reasoning. Biblical Christianity, on the other hand, consistently encompasses and accounts for all that is valid in all other worldviews without self-destruction. For that reason, while all other worldviews depend on the truth of the Bible, the truth of the Bible destroys all other worldviews.

While claiming to be rational and empirical, these worldviews ultimately demonstrate irrationality and absurdity when their own standards are applied consistently. In Biblical terminology, professing to be wise, they became fools (Romans 1:22).

The Münchhausen Trilemma demonstrates the self-defeating nature of all other worldviews, that they are arbitrary and absurd, and ultimately make knowledge impossible. These are the consequences of rejecting Jesus. When one rejects Jesus, one rejects truth (John 14:6; Ephesians 4:21).

1 Corinthians 1:20—“Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”