Authority or autonomy? Philosophical and psychological perspectives on deference to experts.
Saved in:
| Title: | Authority or autonomy? Philosophical and psychological perspectives on deference to experts. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Worsnip, Alex (AUTHOR), Lane, Devin (AUTHOR), Pratt, Samuel (AUTHOR), Napolitano, M. Giulia (AUTHOR), Gray, Kurt (AUTHOR), Greene, Jeffrey A. (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Philosophical Psychology. May2026, Vol. 39 Issue 4, p1633-1668. 36p. |
| Subjects: | Expert evidence, Public opinion, Empirical research, Theory of knowledge, Belief & doubt, Justification (Theory of knowledge) |
| Abstract: | Several decades of work in both philosophy and psychology acutely highlights our limitations as individual inquirers. One way to recognize these limitations is to defer to experts: roughly, to form one's beliefs on the basis of expert testimony. Yet, as has become salient in the age of Brexit, Trumpist politics, and climate change denial, people are often mistrustful of experts, and unwilling to defer to them. It's a trope of highbrow public discourse that this unwillingness is a serious pathology. But to what extent is this trope accurate? Answering this requires us to settle both a normative question – under exactly what conditions ought we to defer to experts? – and an empirical question – under what conditions are people willing to defer to experts? The first question has been investigated primarily by philosophers; the second, primarily by psychologists. Yet there is little work integrating these literatures and putting together their results. The aim of this review article is to begin this task, enabling us to begin reaching conclusions about how much real practices of deference diverge from the ideal. We present an opinionated guide to relevant work from both philosophy and psychology, and note places where the literature has important gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Philosophical Psychology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
|
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Login for full access.
|
|
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 1 |
|---|---|
| Header | DbId: pbh DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection An: 193490370 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
| IllustrationInfo | |
| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Authority or autonomy? Philosophical and psychological perspectives on deference to experts. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Worsnip%2C+Alex%22">Worsnip, Alex</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lane%2C+Devin%22">Lane, Devin</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pratt%2C+Samuel%22">Pratt, Samuel</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Napolitano%2C+M%2E+Giulia%22">Napolitano, M. Giulia</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gray%2C+Kurt%22">Gray, Kurt</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Greene%2C+Jeffrey+A%2E%22">Greene, Jeffrey A.</searchLink> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Philosophical+Psychology%22">Philosophical Psychology</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 39 Issue 4, p1633-1668. 36p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Expert+evidence%22">Expert evidence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+opinion%22">Public opinion</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Empirical+research%22">Empirical research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Theory+of+knowledge%22">Theory of knowledge</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Belief+%26+doubt%22">Belief & doubt</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Justification+%28Theory+of+knowledge%29%22">Justification (Theory of knowledge)</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Several decades of work in both philosophy and psychology acutely highlights our limitations as individual inquirers. One way to recognize these limitations is to defer to experts: roughly, to form one's beliefs on the basis of expert testimony. Yet, as has become salient in the age of Brexit, Trumpist politics, and climate change denial, people are often mistrustful of experts, and unwilling to defer to them. It's a trope of highbrow public discourse that this unwillingness is a serious pathology. But to what extent is this trope accurate? Answering this requires us to settle both a normative question – under exactly what conditions ought we to defer to experts? – and an empirical question – under what conditions are people willing to defer to experts? The first question has been investigated primarily by philosophers; the second, primarily by psychologists. Yet there is little work integrating these literatures and putting together their results. The aim of this review article is to begin this task, enabling us to begin reaching conclusions about how much real practices of deference diverge from the ideal. We present an opinionated guide to relevant work from both philosophy and psychology, and note places where the literature has important gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Philosophical Psychology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=193490370 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1080/09515089.2025.2475138 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 36 StartPage: 1633 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Expert evidence Type: general – SubjectFull: Public opinion Type: general – SubjectFull: Empirical research Type: general – SubjectFull: Theory of knowledge Type: general – SubjectFull: Belief & doubt Type: general – SubjectFull: Justification (Theory of knowledge) Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Authority or autonomy? Philosophical and psychological perspectives on deference to experts. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Worsnip, Alex – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lane, Devin – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Pratt, Samuel – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Napolitano, M. Giulia – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Gray, Kurt – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Greene, Jeffrey A. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 05 Text: May2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 09515089 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 39 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: Philosophical Psychology Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
