According to Latter-day Saint epistemology, do Latter-day Saints perceive the witness of the Holy Ghost as an intrinsic defeater-defeater?

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Accepted answer

One seldom hears someone give testimony of the “truth of Mormonism”; more often it will be of the living Christ, the truth of the Book of Mormon, or the restoration of the fullness of the gospel.

That said, something that has been revealed by an Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnibenevolent God is vastly epistemologically superior to something taught by fallible sources (further discussion here), so in this sense something spoken by God would meet the criteria suggested for a defeater-defeater.

This still leaves 2 questions open, of course:

  • Is this really revelation from God?
  • Can we trust God?

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Is this from God

A concise response to this question would emphasize:

  • Repetition, as already noted by Confutus, can eliminate alternative explanations. God doesn’t just speak once, and He gives information line upon line, precept upon precept (see 2 Nephi 28:30)
  • An Omnipotent God would necessarily be able to make Himself known to an individual in a manner that is clear to that individual (see 2 Nephi 31:3)
  • My video here discusses recognizing revelation through the Holy Ghost
  • God gives promises and challenges people to put them to the test (e.g. Malachi 3:8-10, John 7:17, Moroni 10:3-5) - testing the promise and receiving what was promised, in conjunction with the experience of receiving inspiration from the Holy Ghost, helps people identify what receiving inspiration is and rationally put confidence in it
  • The Holy Ghost doesn’t only give feelings - e.g. the Holy Ghost also teaches, transforms, and sanctifies

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Trust

King Benjamin taught of the importance of coming to recognize the voice of God (Mosiah 5:12-13). Like recognizing anyone’s voice, this requires time and effort. After coming to recognize communication from God and learning of Him, we are left with a question: should we trust Him?

We cannot independently confirm that He does not lie - He says that He is truthful, we can see His kept promises in our lives and those of others, we can learn of His nature through His actions and words. And then we take a leap of faith like we would in trusting anyone else - does what I know of Him demonstrate that I should trust Him? My answer is an unequivocal yes!

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Defeasibility

Craig is cavalier in suggesting there are no potential defeaters to his beliefs, considering the number and complexity of claims challenging Biblical inerrancy (this is not the place to debate the topic; I merely mention it as a hotly debated issue). He mentions only one defeater for Latter-day Saints–DNA and the Book of Mormon. I respond in section D here.

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LDS in general do not rely solely or exclusively on the witness of the Holy Ghost, and seldom on a single experience. They are encouraged to seek such a witness as a "starter" experience, but a mature, solid belief depends on multiple experiences and multiple evidences, both spiritual and secular. Indeed, they are encouraged to "seek learning by study and also by faith." However, secular sources are considered inadequate and inconclusive without that witness. Furthermore, there are many sources which are unbelieving and hostile, which should not be accepted uncritically. One of the roles of the Holy Ghost is to testify of truth. A subtly enhanced ability to distinguish truth from error is one of the spiritual gifts often given to believers.

It is evidently by divine intention that we are initially given just enough to enable belief (3 Ne 26:8-11) and must actively seek out more. It is also declared that whether we receive more depends on our willingness to accept what we have been given, as expounded in Alma 12:9-11. Jacob 4:6 describes a process of gaining unshaken faith that depends on deep knowledge of the scriptures and repeated spiritual experience.

So, to give a short and simple answer to the first question: Usually not by itself, although such a witness may be or become that strong. To the second: it doesn't lack them.

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