The epistemology of disagreement : new essays / edited by David Christensen and Jennifer Lackey.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Christensen, David Phiroze, 1955- editor.

Lackey, Jennifer, 1969- editor.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Knowledge, Theory of.

Verbal self-defense--Philosophy.

Dogmatism--Philosophy.

Dogmatism.

Philosophy.

Verbal self-defense.

Physical Description:

vi, 272 pages ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2013.

Summary:

The Epistemology of Disagreement brings together essays from a dozen philosophers on the epistemic significance of disagreement; all but one of the essays are new. Questions discussed include: When (if ever) does the disagreement of others require a rational agent to revise her beliefs? Do 'conciliatory' accounts, on which agents are required to revise significantly, suffer from fatal problems of self-defeat, given the disagreement about disagreement? What is the significance of disagreement about philosophical topics in particular? How does the epistemology of disagreement relate to broader epistemic theorizing? Does the increased significance of multiple disagreeing agents depend on their being independent of one another? John Hawthorne and Amia Srinivasan, Thomas Kelly, and Brian Weatherson all raise problems for conciliatory views (though Hawthorne and Srinivasan also see problems with non-conciliation). Stewart Cohen and David Christensen take up the conciliatory side of the debate. Bryan Frances, Sanford Goldberg, and Ernest Sosa discuss a kind of disagreement that will be of particular concern to most readers of this book: disagreement about philosophy. And Robert Audi, Jonathan Kvanvig, and Jennifer Lackey tackle some general theoretical issues that bear on disagreement. The philosophers represented here include some who have contributed actively to the disagreement literature already, as well as some who are exploring the issue for the first time. Their work helps to deepen and expand our understanding of some epistemic phenomena that are central to any thoughtful believer's engagement with other believers. Book jacket.

Contents:

Part I The Debate between Conciliatory and Steadfast Theorists

A Steadfastness

1 Disagreement Without Transparency: Some Bleak Thoughts / John Hawthorne Hawthorne, John, Amia Srinivasan Srinivasan, Amia 9

2 Disagreement and the Burdens of Judgment / Thomas Kelly Kelly, Thomas 31

3 Disagreements, Philosophical, and Otherwise / Brian Weatherson Weatherson, Brian 54

B Conciliation

4 Epistemic Modesty Defended / David Christensen Christensen, David 77

5 A Defense of the (Almost) Equal Weight View / Stewart Cohen Cohen, Stewart 98

Part II Disagreement in Philosophy

6 Philosophical Renegades / Bryan Frances Frances, Bryan 121

7 Disagreement, Defeat, and Assertion / Sanford Goldberg Goldberg, Sanford 167

8 Can There Be a Discipline of Philosophy? And Can It Be Founded on Intuitions? / Ernest Sosa Sosa, Ernest 190

Part III New Concepts and New Problems in the Epistemology of Disagreement

9 Cognitive Disparities: Dimensions of Intellectual Diversity and the Resolution of Disagreements / Robert Audi Audi, Robert 205

10 Perspectivalism and Reflective Ascent / Jonathan L. Kvanvig Kvanvig, Jonathan L. 223

11 Disagreement and Belief Dependence: Why Numbers Matter / Jennifer Lackey Lackey, Jennifer 243.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780199698370

0199698376

OCLC:

825557439