The Metaphysics of Knowledge: A Case Study

Martin Kusch (University of Vienna), Robin McKenna (University of Liverpool, University of Johannesburg)

The Mind, Language and Action Group (MLAG), a research unit of the Institute of Philosophy at the University of Porto, invites you to the eight talk of the new MLAG Seminar Series featuring presentations by international researchers on topics of interest to the group. The talk, given by Martin Kusch (University of Vienna) and entitled "The Metaphysics of Knowledge: A Case Study", will take place on May 28, 14:30-16:00 Western European Summer Time (WEST). The meeting is online. MS TEAMS details: Meeting ID: 386 675 076 784 97; Passcode: b4AL3mM2

The seminar is jointly organized by Sofia Miguens (MLAG-IF), Dan Zeman (MLAG-IF), James Grayot (MLAG-IF), Rafael Antunes Padilha (MLAG-IF|IFCH-UNICAMP), Samuel Lima (FLUP) and João Carlos Rocha Lima (FLUP). Information about MLAG can be found here: https://ifilosofia.up.pt/research-groups/mlag. To contact the organisers, please send an email to [email protected].

All welcome!

ABSTRACT:

Hilary Kornblith defends the thesis that knowledge is a natural kind like aluminium: knowledge is attributed to animals by cognitive ethologists; cognitive ethology is a natural science; and it needs the category of knowledge (qua reliably formed belief) to achieve its explanatory and predictive goals. -- Robin McKenna and I have argued that Kornblith owes us an argument for why we should take our lead from cognitive ethology rather than, say, from the sociology of knowledge. Kornblith has replied that as far as the understanding of knowledge is concerned, the sociology of knowledge likely depends upon the results of cognitive ethology. -- In this paper, I offer a detailed investigation into the metaphysics of knowledge of the sociology of knowledge. I seek to identify what is problematic about this metaphysics, and suggest how it might be improved to block Kornblith's quick dismissal.