Language is a human universal reflecting our deeply social nature. Among its essential functions, language enables us to quickly and efficiently share information. We tell each other that many things are true—that is, we routinely make assertions. Information shared this way plays a critical role in the decisions and plans we make. In Knowledge and the Norm of Assertion, a distinguished philosopher and cognitive scientist investigates the rules or norms that structure our social practice of assertion. Combining evidence from philosophy, psychology, and biology, John Turri shows that knowledge is the central norm of assertion and explains why knowledge plays this role.
Concise, comprehensive, non-technical, and thoroughly accessible, this volume quickly brings readers to the cutting edge of a major research program at the intersection of philosophy and science. It presupposes no philosophical or scientific training. It will be of interest to philosophers and scientists, is suitable for use in graduate and undergraduate courses, and will appeal to general readers interested in human nature, social cognition, and communication.
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada has generously contributed towards the publication of this volume.
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada has generously contributed towards the publication of this volume.
Knowledge and the Norm of Assertion: An Essay in Philosophical Science
John Turri | February 2016
x + 116 | 6.14" x 9.21" (234 x 156 mm)
ISBN Paperback: 9781783741830
ISBN Hardback: 9781783741847
ISBN Digital (PDF): 9781783741854
ISBN Digital ebook (epub): 9781783741861
ISBN Digital ebook (mobi): 9781783741878
ISBN Digital (XML): 9781783746330
DOI: 10.11647/OBP.0083
BIC subject codes: HPK (Philosophy: epistemology and theory of knowledge), GTR (Cognitive science), CFA (Philosophy of language); BISAC: PHI000000 (PHILOSOPHY / General), SCI075000 (SCIENCE / Philosophy & Social Aspects), SOC026040 (SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology / Social Theory); OCLC Number: 1129912022.
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Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Evidence and Argument
Observational Data
Experimental Data
The Argument
The Explanation
Prefatory Remarks
More Challenging
2. Extensions and Connections
Know How
Guaranteed Knowledge
Knowledge Valued
Outstanding Questions
Reaching Understanding
Liar’s Knowledge
3. Objections and Replies
Ignorant Assertions
Unlucky Falsehoods
Lucky Truths
Excuses, Excuses
Irrelevant Assessments
Weak Challenges
Pre-Theoretic Data
Apocryphal Paradox
Unbelievable Objections
Certain Competition
No Contest
4. Prospects and Horizons
What "Should”?
Good Enough?
Super Norm?
Requisite Truth
Requisite Knowledge
Inside and Out
Intuitive Connections
A Coincidence?
Why Knowledge?
Coda
References
Index
© 2016 John Turri

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This license allows you to share, copy, distribute and transmit the work for non-commercial purposes, providing attribution is made to the author (but not in any way that suggests that he endorses you or your use of the work). Attribution should include the following information:
John Turri, Knowledge and the Norm of Assertion: An Essay in Philosophical Science. Cambridge, UK: Open Book Publishers, 2016, https://doi.org/10.11647/OBP.0083
Further details about CC BY-NC-ND licenses are available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Every effort has been made to identify and contact copyright holders and any omission or error will be corrected if notification is made to the publisher.
Cover image: Rose-Aimée Bélanger, Les chuchoteuses (The Gossipers, 2002), Montreal. Photo by Dan Mason. CC BY 4.0, https://www.flickr.com/photos/masondan/3681873678

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This license allows you to share, copy, distribute and transmit the work for non-commercial purposes, providing attribution is made to the author (but not in any way that suggests that he endorses you or your use of the work). Attribution should include the following information:
John Turri, Knowledge and the Norm of Assertion: An Essay in Philosophical Science. Cambridge, UK: Open Book Publishers, 2016, https://doi.org/10.11647/OBP.0083
Further details about CC BY-NC-ND licenses are available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Every effort has been made to identify and contact copyright holders and any omission or error will be corrected if notification is made to the publisher.
Cover image: Rose-Aimée Bélanger, Les chuchoteuses (The Gossipers, 2002), Montreal. Photo by Dan Mason. CC BY 4.0, https://www.flickr.com/photos/masondan/3681873678