In 1963, philosopher Edmund Gettier challenged the definition of knowledge as justified true belief with his “Gettier cases.” A surprising example involves a papier-mâché cow next to a real one. The term “gettiers” became popular among software developers, referring to situations where a belief is justified, true, but incorrect due to unexpected factors. For example, a programmer’s code change appeared to break a feature, but an unrelated service outage was the actual cause. Recognizing these “gettiers” helps developers navigate complex problems. This epistemological approach applies to various fields, distinguishing between facts and coincidences to improve decision-making and problem-solving skills.
https://jsomers.net/blog/gettiers