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Knowledge as Acceptable Testimony
Standard philosophical explanations of the concept of knowledge invoke a personal goal of having true beliefs, and explain the other requirements for knowledge as indicating the best way to achieve that goal. In this highly original book, Steven L. Reynolds argues instead that the concept of knowledge functions to express a naturally developing kind of social control, a complex social norm, and that the main purpose of our practice of saying and thinking that people 'know' is to improve our system for exchanging information, which is testimony. He makes illuminating comparisons of the knowledge norm of testimony with other complex social norms - such as those requiring proper clothing, respectful conversation, and the complementary virtues of tact and frankness - and shows how this account fits with our concept of knowledge as studied in recent analytic epistemology. His book will interest a range of readers in epistemology, psychology, and sociology.
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Knowledge as Acceptable Testimony
Standard philosophical explanations of the concept of knowledge invoke a personal goal of having true beliefs, and explain the other requirements for knowledge as indicating the best way to achieve that goal. In this highly original book, Steven L. Reynolds argues instead that the concept of knowledge functions to express a naturally developing kind of social control, a complex social norm, and that the main purpose of our practice of saying and thinking that people 'know' is to improve our system for exchanging information, which is testimony. He makes illuminating comparisons of the knowledge norm of testimony with other complex social norms - such as those requiring proper clothing, respectful conversation, and the complementary virtues of tact and frankness - and shows how this account fits with our concept of knowledge as studied in recent analytic epistemology. His book will interest a range of readers in epistemology, psychology, and sociology.
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Knowledge as Acceptable Testimony

Knowledge as Acceptable Testimony

by Steven L. Reynolds
Knowledge as Acceptable Testimony

Knowledge as Acceptable Testimony

by Steven L. Reynolds

Overview

Standard philosophical explanations of the concept of knowledge invoke a personal goal of having true beliefs, and explain the other requirements for knowledge as indicating the best way to achieve that goal. In this highly original book, Steven L. Reynolds argues instead that the concept of knowledge functions to express a naturally developing kind of social control, a complex social norm, and that the main purpose of our practice of saying and thinking that people 'know' is to improve our system for exchanging information, which is testimony. He makes illuminating comparisons of the knowledge norm of testimony with other complex social norms - such as those requiring proper clothing, respectful conversation, and the complementary virtues of tact and frankness - and shows how this account fits with our concept of knowledge as studied in recent analytic epistemology. His book will interest a range of readers in epistemology, psychology, and sociology.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781316647882
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Publication date: 01/09/2020
Edition description: Reprint
Pages: 224
Product dimensions: 5.91(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.47(d)

About the Author

Steven L. Reynolds is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Arizona State University. His research, which has been published in a number of leading philosophical journals, focuses on the theory of knowledge and metaphysical issues about realism.

Table of Contents

1. Social norms, knowledge, and philosophy; 2. What is knowledge?; 3. Developing a concept of knowledge; 4. Is that our concept of knowledge?; 5. What is justified belief?; 6. Justified belief is the appearance of knowledge; 7. Testimonial knowledge and social norms; 8. Knowledge from testimony; 9. Doxastic voluntarism and epistemic evaluations; 10. Why we should prefer knowledge.
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Related Subjects

Philosophy
Major Branches of Philosophical Study
Epistemology (Theory of Knowledge)
Philosophy
Major Branches of Philosophical Study
Epistemology (Theory of Knowledge)

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