Pablo asked:

I have to do an essay on the following phrase: "Consider the meaning of justification in different areas
of knowledge. Is any one kind of justification more compelling than any other?" I will appreciate and
consider your opinion about this phrase.

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You have asked my opinion about the quoted statement. But I believe that you already know the
answer to this question. You just don't know that you know it.

How do I know? What is my justificationfor making that claim? Because each of us, every day, has to
think about questions concerning when a claim is justified or unjustified. So it will be an excellent way
to start work on your essay to list all the kinds of questions of justification you can think of, and how
they have been resolved, or might have been resolved.

Make two lists. In the first list, write down all the different kinds of thing that people might make claims
about. If that seems too difficult, start by writing down all the things that you have said that you
believe or know, or heard people say they believe or know in the last week — people you have met,
conversations you have overheard, or things you've seen on TV or heard on the radio.

In the second list, write down all the different ways in which beliefs might be challenged, and how one
might respond to that challenge. If that seems to difficult, start by writing down all the ways in which
you have justified your claims in response to a challenge, or heard people justify their claims in
response to a challenge.

Once you've got your two lists, then you can start thinking about the different basic kinds of challenge
and justification in different areas of knowledge. Look for similarities. Look for contrasts. Which are
the easy cases? Which are the hard cases? When can we be certain? When do we have to say, 'I'm
not sure'? Why?

If you get that far, then you will be well on the way to producing your essay. The main problem will be
knowing where to stop!

Geoffrey Klempner