Talk: 'The Structure of Belief'

Date: Wednesday 21 November 2018
Time: 16:30 - 18:30
Venue
John Roberts Room, Merton College

Given by Professor Ralph Wedgwood, Professor of Philosophy, University of Southern California.

Professor Wedgwood's publications investigate fundamental issues in metaethics, epistemology, philosophy of mind, history of philosophy, applied ethics and practical reason, rationality, and decision theory.

Abstract

When faced with an issue, we often ask ourselves the question: How should we think about this issue? What beliefs or opinions we should have about it? One branch of epistemology – the theory of rational belief – studies the general principles that explain what the right answers to such questions are. But in order to articulate such principles, we need to know what the options are – that is, which sorts of beliefs or opinions are available. Traditionally, there are two models of belief or opinion that epistemologists have relied on here. On one model, the beliefs that you now have just consist of a body of propositions. On the second model, the beliefs that you now have consist of your subjective probability function. It will be argued here that neither of these models is fit for purpose. An alternative model of belief will be suggested to take their place.