Epistemizing Potential

"Cogito Ergo Sum", translates into "I think, therefore I am"(Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy). This statement provides your conscience with evidence and facts to prove you exist, making you a reliable authority.  While at the same time giving you an example for two forms of defeat ultimately influencing epistemological systems. With this said, here are two definitions, factual and justificational defeat. We need to know these two definitions for the remainder of this post as they affect supported evidence in an epistemizing way.

Justificational Defeat (defeating beliefs with evidence)

d evidentially defeats S's justification for believing that p if and only if (i) S has evidence e for believing that p; (ii) S has also evidence e' for a proposition d that defeats e as evidence for p.

Factual Defeat (defeating beliefs with facts)

d factually defeats S's justification for believing that p if an only if (i) S has evidence e for believing that p; (ii) there is a proposition d such that d is true, S does not have evidence for d, and d defeats e as evidence for p.

Non-Epistemizing

 True belief is not knowledge when non-epistemizing justification occurs. Facts defeating a system of beliefs signifies this sort of defeat. When evidential defeat happens, a belief is defeated. Only factually defeating a system of beliefs allows a system to be known as non-epistemizing justification.

Epistemizing Potential

When an entire system of supported evidence is undefeated, meaning there is no more evidence or facts to defeat p. The system of true beliefs have epistemizing potential. This grants the system of beliefs to than turn into knowledge. 

When a system of elements can remain factually and justificationally undefeated we can say true beliefs have epistemizing potential, allowing us to know with confidence. Almost always we are not fully in a position to know p due to hidden facts, Socrates paradox knew only one thing, which was nothing. However, we do know Descartes "Cogito Ergo Sum" proved our existence as a thinking thing; resulting in a system of elements with epistemizing potential. 

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Go ahead and leave comments below to help me, help you. Note: I use examples from the book and from my own experience.

To be clear, I am taking notes from a book titled An Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology by Matthias Steup; if you need a copy to follow along click on the the title in this sentence and a link will direct you. ISBN 0-13-037095-9

Reference:
Descartes, Rene. Meditations on First Philosophy. Raleigh, N.C.: Alex Catalogue, 199. Print.