Right Belief and True Belief

Right Belief and True Belief explores the question of what we should believe and offers a truth-centric account called "truth-loving epistemic consequentialism," which argues that what we should believe is determined by what leads to the most accurate beliefs. This view vindicates the intuition that epistemic norms are about getting true beliefs and avoiding false beliefs and can undergird a general truth-centric approach to epistemology.

Format: Unspecified
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 07 November 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The most profound inquiries in life revolve around the decisions we make and the beliefs we hold. Normative ethicists have dedicated significant attention to the first type of question, seeking a comprehensive and systematic account of morally right actions. However, this book focuses on the second type of question: right belief.

Right Belief and True Belief introduces a novel field of inquiry called normative epistemology, which shares a similar goal with normative ethics: to provide a systematic account of right belief. The book then presents and defends a deeply truth-centric account of right belief, known as "truth-loving epistemic consequentialism."

Truth-loving epistemic consequentialists argue that our beliefs and credences should be guided by what leads to the most accurate beliefs. This perspective aligns with the intuition that epistemic norms aim to obtain true beliefs and avoid false beliefs, which is consistent with the way scientists, engineers, and statisticians approach belief formation.

While similar views have been proposed by others, epistemologists have raised objections, such as trade-off objections and counting-blades-of-grass objections. Right Belief and True Belief demonstrates how a simple truth-based consequentialist account of epistemic norms can overcome these objections and argues that truth-loving epistemic consequentialism can serve as a foundation for a truth-centric approach to many epistemological questions.

In conclusion, the most important questions in life are those that concern our actions and beliefs. Normative epistemology and truth-loving epistemic consequentialism offer valuable insights into how we can develop a systematic account of right belief and how we can navigate the challenges of epistemological inquiry. By embracing the truth and its consequences, we can strive to live lives that are guided by reason, knowledge, and moral integrity.

Weight: 520g
Dimension: 270 x 160 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197660386