Infallibility
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Infallibility is the ability to be free from error (obtain certainty). The two classical examples are, "when you feel pain, you can't be wrong" and "when you say one plus one equals two, you're infallible."
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Other Definitions
- Infallibility is often defined as the 'inability to err', this implies that infallibility is a condition or character instead of a description of an event. As such it means that the being in question is incapable of error for the term of its life. Concise dictionaries often give this definition.
- There is also a school of thought [help please] that says [something like] "humans aren't capable of infallibility but can obtain certainty."
The rest of this entry deals with the human experience of infallibility.
Psychological Aspects
Infallibility is inseparable from human nature as a result of the aspect of the human condition called self-awareness. It is one of the features that set us apart from animals, and as such, Civilization can not exist without it. In some cases, this may mean that a fact is to be accepted as true by all people; in others it may mean that an arbitrary decision must be made, and then not disputed. With example to banking:
- Bank Transactions
- If one can not obtain certainty when counting out a withdrawal, then all transactions would become negotiated. "I think SIX twenties make a hundred. After all, you can't be certain it is only five, and the customer is always right."
Philosophical Aspects
Philosophy is sometimes concerned with denying the ability to know anything at all, let alone obtaining certainty, see existentialism and skepticism. A cursory inquiry will produce a great deal of information arguing against infallibility. The fields most likely to support infallibility are metaphysics, epistemology, reason and logic. For a spiritual slant, see apologetics.
See also
- Infallibility of the Church
- Papal infallibility
- Not to be confused with impeccability which is the inability to sin.