The Transmission of Cumulative Cultural Knowledge — Towards a Social Epistemology of Non-Testimonial Cultural Learning

Bibliographic Data

ID6451970
AuthorsBasil Müller (0000-0001-5021-1576, University of Bern, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume39
Issue5
Pages496-516
Publication date2024-05-30
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocial Epistemology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0269-1728 • E-ISSN: 1464-5297
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/02691728.2024.2356588
OpenAlexW4399243822
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited49

Cumulative cultural knowledge [CCK], the knowledge we acquire via social learning and has been refined by previous generations, is of central importance to our species’ flourishing. Considering its importance, we should expect that our best epistemological theories can account for how this happens. Perhaps surprisingly, CCK and how we acquire it via cultural learning has only received little attention from social epistemologists. Here, I focus on how we should epistemically evaluate how agents acquire CCK. After sampling some reasons why extant theories cannot account for CCK, I suggest that things aren’t as bleak as they might look. I explain how agents deserve epistemic credit for how CCK is transmitted in cultural learning by promoting a central need of their social group: The efficient and safe transmission of CCK. A good initial fit exists between this observation and Greco’s knowledge-economy framework. Ultimately, however, Greco’s account doesn’t straightforwardly account for CCK because of its strict focus on testimony. I point out two issues in the framework due to this focus. The resulting view advocates giving epistemic credit to agents when they act to promote their communities’ epistemic needs in the right way and highlights the various ways in which agents come to do this

Cultural learning · Cultural transmission in animals · Epistemology · Epistemology of Wikipedia · Pedagogy · Social epistemology · Social learning · Social science · Sociology · Testimonial · Anthropology · Language and cultural evolution · Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies · Philosophy · Psychology · Social and Cultural Dynamics

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