Beliefs and Testimony as Social Evidence
Epistemic Egoism, Epistemic Universalism, and Common Consent Arguments
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4079983 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Joshua Rollins (University of Oklahoma, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2015 |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 78-90 |
| Publication date | 2015-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Philosophy Compass (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1747-9991 • E-ISSN: 1747-9991 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/phc3.12184 |
| OpenAlex | W1889050581 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 17 |
Until recently, epistemology was largely caught in the grips of an epistemically unrealisticradical epistemological individualismon which the beliefs and testimony of others were of virtually no epistemic significance. Thankfully, epistemologists have bucked the individualist trend, acknowledging that one person's belief or testimony thatPmight offer another person prima facie epistemic reasons - orsocial evidenceas I call it - to believeP. In this paper, I discuss the possibility and conditions under which beliefs and testimony act as social evidence, in particular, beliefs and testimony regarding the existence of God. Theepistemic egoistmaintains that one must possess positive reasons in favor of other people's reliability or trustworthiness before their beliefs and testimony offer prima facie social evidence. Theepistemic universalist, on the other hand, argues that the beliefs of all others are prima facie credible and should be treated accordingly. All this will set up subsequent discussion of the epistemic significance of common consent or widespread belief in God. I show how common consent arguments assume the epistemic universalist's account of the conditions under which the beliefs and testimony of others acquire reason-giving force as social evidence
Epistemology · Ethical egoism · Individualism · Objectivism · Political science · Prima facie · Epistemology, Ethics, and Metaphysics · Forgiveness and Related Behaviors · Law · Philosophy · Political Philosophy and Ethics · Psychology
Intellectual Trust in Oneself and Others
Learning from Words
The Nature of Normativity
Against Gullibility
Testimony and Epistemic Autonomy
An Essay concerning Human Understanding
Reasonable Religious Disagreements
The Philosophical Writings of Descartes
Epistemic Authority
Aesthetic Experience and Aesthetic Value
Knowing from Testimony
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,2 |
| Citation span | 2021 - 2021 (1) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |