Testimony : a philosophical study / C.A.J. Coady.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Coady, C. A. J.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Knowledge, Theory of.

Witnesses.

Other minds (Theory of knowledge).

Belief and doubt.

Physical Description:

x, 315 p.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Clarendon Press ; New York : Oxford University, 1992.

Summary:

The role of testimony in the getting of reliable belief or knowledge is a central but neglected epistemological issue. In this critically acclaimed work of original philosophy, Professor Coady explores the nature of testimony and the philosophical debates about it, in order to show how it might be defended as a source of knowledge. He uses the insights so developed to challenge certain widespread assumptions in the areas of history, law, mathematics, andpsychology.

Contents:

Intro

Preface

Contents

I. The Problematic

1. The Domain of Testimony

2. What is Testimony?

3. Objections and Clarifications

II. The Tradition

4. Testimony, Observation, and the Reductive Approach

5. Deciding for Testimony

6. The Analogical Approach

7. Scottish Fundamentalism

III. The Solution

8. The Status of Testimony

9. Language and Mind

IV. The Puzzles

10. Astonishing Reports

11. The Disappearance of History

12. Dretske's Drinker

V. The Applications

13. Collingwood and Historical Testimony

14. Mathematical Knowledge and Reliable Authority

15. The Witness of Psychology

16. Experts and the Law

Bibliography

Index

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

Z.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on metadata supplied by the publisher and other sources.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

9780191519987

0191519987

OCLC:

646795068