Relying on Others

An Essay in Epistemology

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Epistemology
Cover of the book Relying on Others by Sanford C. Goldberg, OUP Oxford
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Sanford C. Goldberg ISBN: 9780191615634
Publisher: OUP Oxford Publication: September 2, 2010
Imprint: OUP Oxford Language: English
Author: Sanford C. Goldberg
ISBN: 9780191615634
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Publication: September 2, 2010
Imprint: OUP Oxford
Language: English

Sanford Goldberg investigates the role that others play in our attempts to acquire knowledge of the world. Two main forms of this reliance are examined: testimony cases, where a subject aims to acquire knowledge through accepting what another tells her; and cases involving "coverage", where a subject aims to acquire knowledge of something by reasoning that if things were not so she would have heard about it by now. Goldberg argues that these cases challenge some cherished assumptions in epistemology. Testimony cases challenge the assumption, prominent in reliabilist epistemology, that the processes through which beliefs are formed never extend beyond the boundaries of the individual believer. And both sorts of case challenge the idea that, insofar knowledge is a cognitive achievement, it is an achievement that belongs to the knowing subject herself. Goldberg uses results of this sort to question the broadly individualistic orthodoxy within reliabilist epistemology, and to explore what a non-orthodox reliabilist epistemology would look like. The resulting theory is a social-reliabilist epistemology — one that results from the application of reliabilist criteria to situations in which belief-fixation involves epistemic reliance on others. Sanford Goldberg presents an important contribution both to the reliability literature in general epistemology and to the social epistemology of testimony and related topics.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Sanford Goldberg investigates the role that others play in our attempts to acquire knowledge of the world. Two main forms of this reliance are examined: testimony cases, where a subject aims to acquire knowledge through accepting what another tells her; and cases involving "coverage", where a subject aims to acquire knowledge of something by reasoning that if things were not so she would have heard about it by now. Goldberg argues that these cases challenge some cherished assumptions in epistemology. Testimony cases challenge the assumption, prominent in reliabilist epistemology, that the processes through which beliefs are formed never extend beyond the boundaries of the individual believer. And both sorts of case challenge the idea that, insofar knowledge is a cognitive achievement, it is an achievement that belongs to the knowing subject herself. Goldberg uses results of this sort to question the broadly individualistic orthodoxy within reliabilist epistemology, and to explore what a non-orthodox reliabilist epistemology would look like. The resulting theory is a social-reliabilist epistemology — one that results from the application of reliabilist criteria to situations in which belief-fixation involves epistemic reliance on others. Sanford Goldberg presents an important contribution both to the reliability literature in general epistemology and to the social epistemology of testimony and related topics.

More books from OUP Oxford

Cover of the book Choosing Children by Sanford C. Goldberg
Cover of the book Hypertension by Sanford C. Goldberg
Cover of the book Vagueness in Psychiatry by Sanford C. Goldberg
Cover of the book Distributive Justice by Sanford C. Goldberg
Cover of the book Kant's Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals : A Commentary by Sanford C. Goldberg
Cover of the book The Prospect of Global History by Sanford C. Goldberg
Cover of the book The Oxford History of Protestant Dissenting Traditions, Volume III by Sanford C. Goldberg
Cover of the book Between Authority and Interpretation by Sanford C. Goldberg
Cover of the book Martin Luther by Sanford C. Goldberg
Cover of the book The Spanish Civil War: A Very Short Introduction by Sanford C. Goldberg
Cover of the book Global Antitrust Compliance Handbook by Sanford C. Goldberg
Cover of the book Transnational Patriotism in the Mediterranean, 1800-1850 by Sanford C. Goldberg
Cover of the book Prospection, well-being, and mental health by Sanford C. Goldberg
Cover of the book A Dictionary of Animal Behaviour by Sanford C. Goldberg
Cover of the book Locke: A Very Short Introduction by Sanford C. Goldberg
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy