Acquaintance Network Online Seminar: L.A. Paul on “Value by Acquaintance”

Laurie Paul

ACQUAINTANCE NETWORK ONLINE SEMINAR

"Value by Acquaintance" L.A. Paul (Yale) Thursday, July 16 3:00 - 4:30 PM (Eastern Time)

The Acquaintance Network is a newly formed international philosophy research group devoted to the study of acquaintance: the relation of conscious awareness that we bear to the things we experience most directly. The network brings together researchers working on the metaphysics, epistemology, value, and history of acquaintance, with the aim of supporting current research and promoting future work on the topic. 

Abstract
I argue that we should recognize the importance of value by acquaintance, both as a philosophical concept in its own right and as a concept with applications for decision making. My argument centers on how the distinctive epistemic structure of knowledge-how is reflected in a distinctive capacity to value. After delineating my account of value by acquaintance and discussing its connection to ways of cognitively orienting ourselves and the neuroscience of decision making, I discuss its role in reasoning and practical decision making, connecting it to the reference class problem and the role of generativity in artificial intelligence. I close with an application to recent debates about authenticity. My discussion, in effect, shows how experience can matter for expertise in value assessment, and why such expertise (or wisdom) can be needed for practical decision making. Format
This online seminar will follow a read-ahead discussion format. Participants will receive the paper in advance, and the session itself will be devoted entirely to discussion of the paper. Registration
To receive the Zoom link and the paper for discussion (which will be circulated approximately two weeks before the event), please email: [email protected]