Knowledge in a Social World

This text offers a philosophy for the information age. Alvin Goldman explores frontiers by creating a thoroughgoing social epistemology, moving beyond the traditional focus on solitary knowers. Social, cultural and technological changes present challenges to our ways of knowing and understanding, and philosophy must face these challenges. Against the tides of postmodernism and social constructionism, Goldman defends the integrity of truth and shows how to promote it by well-designed forms of social interaction. He urges that social discourse promises more than the mere politics of consensus, and that suitably norm-governed debate and belief-revision can increase veridical knowledge. Goldman's aims are not just philosophical but practical. From science to education, from law to democracy, he shows why and how public institutions should seek knowledge-enhancing practices. He examines how cyberspace and other technologies expand the scope of communication, and warns of the need to safeguard content quality. He scrutinizes the free marketplace of ideas, the adversary system in the law, and media coverage of political campaigns. Foundations Epistemology and Postmodern Resistance Truth seeking in the social world Veriphobia Six criticisms of truth-based epistemology The argument from social construction Language and worldmaking The unknowability criticism The denial of epistemic privilege The argument from domination The argument from bias Truth Approaches to the theory of truth Instrumentalism and relativism Epistemic approaches to truth Realisms, antirealisms, and truth Deflationism The correspondence theory Partial compatibility between correspondence and deflation? The Framework Alternative conceptions of social epistemology Employing veritism Veritism and circularity Veritistic value Complications: interests, attribution, and questions Generic Social Practices Testimony The social spread of knowledge A Bayesian inference practice A veritistic rationale for Bayesian inference Estimating testimonial likelihoods Justification of testimony-based belief Argumentation Monological argumentation Dialogical argumentation Truth-in-evidence and the cultural climate for argumentation Fallacies and good argumentation Alternative approaches to argumentation The Technology and Economics of Communication How technology matters to knowledge Computer-mediated communication The economics of scholarly communication The economics of the mass media Speech Regulation and the Marketplace of Ideas Third-party and institutional influences on speech Economic theory, market efficiency, and veritistic value When and how nonmarket regulation can help The metaphorical marketplace and truth State regulation and metaregulation Special Domains Science Science as convention or "form of life" A political-military account of science Biases and interests The theory ladenness of observation Underdetermination of theory Scientific realism and the veritistic superiority of science The case for scientific superiority Sources of scientific success The distribution of scientific research The drive for credit Scientific publicatoin Recognizing authority Law Truth and legal adjudication Alternative criteria of a good adjudication system Truth and the Bill of Rights Common-law vs. civil-law traditions Exclusionary rules Adversary control of proceedings Discovery and secrecy Expert testimony Juries Democracy Knowledge and the nature of voting Voting and information as studied by political science Core voter knowledge The democratic value of core voter knowledge Improving core information Democracy and the press Multicandidate elections Other types of beneficial knowledge Education Goals, methods, and interests Veritism and multiculturalism Postmodernism and collaborative learning Critical thinking, trust, and pedagogy Curricular content and epistemic authority Knowledge in a Social World offers a philosophy for the information age. Alvin Goldman explores new frontiers by creating a thoroughgoing social epistemology, moving beyond the traditional focus on solitary knowers. Social, cultural, and technological changes present new challenges to our ways of knowing and understanding, and philosophy must face these challenges. Against the tides of postmodernism and social constructionism Goldman defends the integrity of truth and shows how to promote it by well-designed forms of social interaction. He urges that social discourse promises more than the mere politics of consensus, and that suitably norm-governed debate and belief-revision can increase veridical knowledge. Goldman's aims are not just philosophical but practical. From science to education, from law to democracy, he shows why and how public institutions should seek knowledge-enhancing practices. He examines how cyberspace and other technologies expand the scope of communication, and warns of the need to safeguard content quality. He scrutinizes the free marketplace of ideas, the adversary system in the law, and media coverage of political campaigns. The result is a bold, timely, and systematic treatment of the philosophical foundations of an information society. Knowledge In A Social World Offers A Philosophy For The Information Age. Alvin Goldman Explores New Frontiers By Creating A Thoroughgoing Social Epistemology, Moving Beyond The Traditional Focus On Solitary Knowers. Against The Tides Of Postmodernism And Social Constructionism Goldman Defends The Integrity Of Truth And Shows How To Promote It By Well-designed Forms Of Social Interaction. From Science To Education, From Law To Democracy, He Shows Why And How Public Institutions Should Seek Knowledge-enhancing Practices. The Result Is A Bold, Timely, And Systematic Treatment Of The Philosophical Foundations Of An Information Society.--publisher Description. Epistemology And Postmodern Resistance -- Truth -- The Framework -- Testimony -- Argumentation -- The Technology And Economics Of Communication -- Speech Regulation And The Marketplace Of Ideas -- Science -- Law -- Democracy -- Education. Alvin I. Goldman. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [375]-393) And Indexes. Cover Preface Contents Part I. Foundations 1. Epistemology and Postmodern Resistance 2. Truth 3. The Framework Part II. Generic Social Practices 4. Testimony 5. Argumentation 6. The Technology and Economics of Comminication 7. Speech Regulation and the Marketplace of Ideas Part III. Special Domains 8. Science 9. Law 10. Democracy 11. Education Bibliography Index of Names This text offers a philosophy for the information age. The author creates a social epistemology, moving beyond the traditional focus on solitary knowers