Trusting others. The epistemological authority of testimony

Abstract

I propose to consider the interpersonal character of testimony as a kind of social bond created by the mutual intention of sharing knowledge. The paper explores the social mechanism that supports this mutual intention starting from an initial situation of modelling the other's epistemic perspective. Accepting testimony as a joint action creates epistemic duties and responsibilities and the eventual success can be considered as a genuine achievement at the social level of epistemology. Trust is presented here as the symptom that both parties are involved in such a social bond.

Participação e Confiança na Comunicação Comunitária: Os Casos do Vela Notícias e do Jornal da Aldeia

“…This aspect is crucial in understanding how trust is established in communication models managed by individuals, as the correlation between the accuracy of information, facts, and accounts elevates the credibility of the participants, making them more trustworthy and accepted by others. Such communication models are usually motivated by a sense of responsibility, a willingness to share knowledge and mutual assistance (Broncano, 2008;McMyler, 2011) as they separate competence from technical ability.…”

Epistemic merit, autonomy, and testimony

“…Testimony is a cooperative epistemic achievement. A virtuous process of knowledge acquisition by testimony requires the preservation of a social bond with a certain epistemic import (Broncano 2008). A testimonial act does not merely consist in extracting information from a social source.…”

“…This epistemic standing is characterised by a situation of epistemic dependence at least in two dimensions, a dimension of epistemic poverty and a dimension of epistemic fragility. Who asks for information avows and declares that he wants that the other knows that he depends on his position regarding a certain proposition p (Broncano 2008). In doing so, he assumes that the assertion of the testifier would and should be backed by reasons he does not possess.…”

“…Other papers in this volume emphasize appropriately the role played by trust in testimony. SeeBroncano 2008 andOriggi 2008. The recent proposal by RichardMoran (2006) suggests that trust is not placed primarily in the proposition believed but in the person that assures the hearer that the world is like he claims to be.…”