Knowledge: A Human Interest Story

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dc.contributor.authorWeatherson, Brian
dc.date.accessioned2024-12-07T04:46:23Z
dc.date.available2024-12-07T04:46:23Z
dc.date.issued2024-11-21
dc.date.updated2024-12-07T04:46:19Z
dc.descriptionPublication status: ACTIVE
dc.description.abstractIn this book the author argues for a groundbreaking perspective that knowledge is inherently interest-relative. This means that what one knows is influenced not just by belief, evidence, and truth, but crucially by the purposes those beliefs serve. Drawing from classical Nyāya epistemologies, the book asserts that knowledge rationalizes action: if you know something, it is sensible to act on it—and the best way to square this with an anti-sceptical epistemology is to say that knowledge is interest-relative. While versions of this view have been debated, they haven’t gained wide acceptance. The author addresses common objections with a refined formulation and explores how this perspective elucidates the role of knowledge in inquiry, daily life, and the history of thought. Key distinctions include the impact of “long odds” situations on knowledge, the distinctive role knowledge has a starting point for inquiry, and the importance of using non-ideal models in theorising about knowledge. Building on decades of scholarship, the author offers a cohesive theory that integrates and clarifies previous works, demonstrating that not only knowledge but also belief, rational belief, and evidence are interest-relative. This book is essential for those seeking a deeper understanding of the intricate relationship between knowledge and practical interests.
dc.description.versionVoR
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.11647/OBP.0425
dc.identifier.isbn9781805113942
dc.identifier.isbn9781805113959
dc.identifier.isbn9781805113966
dc.identifier.isbn9781805113980
dc.identifier.isbn9781805113973
dc.identifier.other485fd9ca-2628-4b5c-b428-986e88b237e3
dc.identifier.urihttps://thoth-arch.lib.cam.ac.uk/handle/1811/826
dc.languageENG
dc.publisherOpen Book Publishers
dc.rightsEmbargo: none
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
dc.subjectPHI000000
dc.subjectPHI004000
dc.subjectPHI009000
dc.subjectPHI011000
dc.subjectJBCC9
dc.subjectQDTK
dc.subjectQDTL
dc.subjectPhilosophy
dc.subjectHigh-Stakes Scenarios
dc.subjectInquiry and Reasoning
dc.subjectInterest-Relative Epistemology
dc.subjectKnowledge and Belief
dc.subjectNyāya Epistemology
dc.subjectRational Action
dc.titleKnowledge: A Human Interest Story
dc.typehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_2f33

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