What is knowledge? Philosophers have long sought answers to this fundamental question within the confines of their studies. Yet contemporary epistemology faces a profound challenge: How universal and adequate are the intuitions underlying theories derived from "armchair" conceptual analysis? This challenge has emerged alongside intensive research into folk epistemology &mdash\; the study of ordinary people's conceptions of knowledge\, truth\, justification\, reliability\, and other epistemic categories. Data from experimental philosophy (x-phi) reveal that what seems obvious and universal to the armchair philosopher may vary significantly across cultural\, social\, linguistic\, or educational contexts. Does this call into question the possibility of a unified theory of knowledge? Are folk intuitions a reliable test for the adequacy of philosophical concepts their inevitable foundation (as x-phi advocates argue) &mdash\; or merely "empirical noise" unrelated to epistemology&rsquo\;s inherently normative aims?
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Conference Goals. \;This conference aims to create a platform for critical and constructive discussion on the role of folk epistemic conceptions and intuitions in modern philosophy. Participants are invited to address the following key questions:
(1) Conceptualizing Folk Epistemology:
What are its boundaries? How is it manifested in language (epistemic modalities\, knowledge verbs)\, social and cognitive practices (distribution of epistemic authority\, source credibility\, non-expert assessments of justification reliability)? How can we account for pragmatic and moral "encroachments" in knowledge ascriptions?
(2) Relevance of Folk Conceptions for Philosophical Theory:
Should epistemological theories explicitly incorporate\, refute\, or methodologically disregard data on folk conceptions? What are their heuristic values and limitations?
(3) Critical Analysis of X-Phi Methodology in Epistemology:
How can empirical data enrich philosophical reflection? What are the limitations of \;experimental approaches in clarifying normative questions? How does variability in \;intuitions impact debates about epistemic universalism\, contextualism\, or relativism?
(4) Applied Potential of X-Phi Data:
How can research on folk epistemology (especially cross-cultural variations in epistemic conceptions) inform practical applications? How might this data improve AI systems (e.g.\, model training\, dialogue agent design) and optimize human-AI interaction (e.g.\, fostering epistemic trust in intelligent assistants)?
Call for Interdisciplinary Dialogue. \;
We aim to transcend disciplinary boundaries and welcome contributions from all scholars engaged in folk epistemology research. \;This segment will foster discussion on methodological challenges\, brainstorming for refining x-phi tools\, and exploring collaborative opportunities. \;In addition to papers on the above themes\, we particularly encourage:
Submission Guidelines. \;To participate\, please: \;
Complete the registration form (google form): \;https://forms.gle/rCu72uaTJwc8GQZx6
Include your full name\, contact email\, presentation title\, and abstract (100&ndash\;250 \;words). \;
If you have any difficulties filling out this form or have any questions about the \;conference\, please contact \;mikhort@gmail.com \;(Mikhail Khort).
Deadline: \;October 10\, 2025.
\n\n\n\nThe Organizing Committee:
\n(1) \;Mirko Farina &mdash\; Head of Human Machine Interaction Lab Institute for Digital Economy &\; Artificial Systems [IDEAS]\, Xiamen University and Lomonosov Moscow State University / Professor of the School of Philosophy and Social Development\, Huaqiao University\;