Accepting knowledge claims always involves an element of trust. Discuss this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge.
Areas of Knowledge
Knowledge Questions
Human Sciences
History
Key Terms and Questions
Anna Komnene, daughter of Byzantine emperor Alexios, spent the last decade of her life creating a 500-page history of her father's reign called “The Alexiad.”
Knowledge
To what extent is it a factual and accurate retelling of events considering her evident biases (her nation, her father)?
Claims
Trust
Discuss
What definition of knowledge is applicable in this context? Does trusting other knowers assist the development of our knowledge?
What is 'trust'? What does it mean to trust?
What is considered a claim? What is the difference between a claim and a theory?
What does it mean to 'discuss'? Do discussions always lead to the creation of knowledge?
Asymmetry of information
In economics, asymmetry of information is when either the producer or the consumer has less information/knowledge than the other party. In these cases, the consumer/producer with less knowledge has to trust the claims made by the other party. An example of this is car sales where the seller of second-hand cars has more knowledge than the buyer, hence the buyer has to trust the claims made by the producer.
Assumptions
Trust is a factor in accepting knowledge claims
History
To what extent is it detrimental for the knower to trust knowledge claims?
To what extent is history a factual and accurate retelling of events considering the biases of history's past victors?
The knowledge claim itself and the area in which it is presented determines the amount of trust in the knower that is needed to accept it
All knowledge claims by a knower are assumed to be true
To what extent can trusting knowledge claims be detrimental to the knower's perception of factual knowledge?