1st Edition

The Routledge Handbook of Political Epistemology

Edited By Michael Hannon, Jeroen de Ridder Copyright 2021
    522 Pages 5 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    522 Pages 5 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    As political discourse had been saturated with the ideas of "post-truth", "fake news", "epistemic bubbles", and "truth decay", it was no surprise that in 2017 The New Scientist declared: "Philosophers of knowledge, your time has come." Political epistemology has old roots, but is now one of the most rapidly growing and important areas of philosophy.

    The Routledge Handbook of Political Epistemology is an outstanding reference source to this exciting field, and the first collection of its kind. Comprising 41 chapters by an international team of contributors, it is divided into seven parts:

    • Politics and truth: historical and contemporary perspectives
    • Political disagreement and polarization
    • Fake news, propaganda, and misinformation
    • Ignorance and irrationality in politics
    • Epistemic virtues and vices in politics
    • Democracy and epistemology
    • Trust, expertise, and doubt.

    Within these sections crucial issues and debates are examined, including: post-truth, disagreement and relativism, epistemic networks, fake news, echo chambers, propaganda, ignorance, irrationality, political polarization, virtues and vices in public debate, epistocracy, expertise, misinformation, trust, and digital democracy, as well as the views of Plato, Aristotle, Mòzǐ, medieval Islamic philosophers, Mill, Arendt, and Rawls on truth and politics.

    The Routledge Handbook of Political Epistemology is essential reading for those studying political philosophy, applied and social epistemology, and politics. It is also a valuable resource for those in related disciplines such as international relations, law, political psychology, political science, communication studies, and journalism.

    General Introduction Michael Hannon and Jeroen de Ridder

    Part 1: Politics and Truth: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives

    Introduction to Part 1 Michael Hannon and Jeroen de Ridder

    1. Democracy and Knowledge in Ancient Greece Tamer Nawar

    2. Identifying Upward: Political Epistemology in an Early Chinese Political Theory Chris Fraser

    3. Epistemology and Politics in Islamic Philosophy Anthony Booth

    4. Mill, Liberalism, and Epistemic Diversity Paul Kelly

    5. Hannah Arendt and the Role of Truth in Politics Yasemin Sari

    6. Politics, Truth, Post-truth, and Postmodernism Simon Blackburn

    7. Tyranny, Tribalism, and Post-truth Politics Amanda R. Greene

    Part 2: Political Disagreement and Polarization

    Introduction to Part 2 Michael Hannon and Jeroen de Ridder

    8. The Polarization of American Politics Shanto Iyengar

    9. Politics, Deep Disagreement, and Relativism J. Adam Carter

    10. Epistemic Permissivism and Reasonable Pluralism Rach Cosker-Rowland and Robert Mark Simpson

    11. Political Disagreement: Epistemic or Civic Peers? Elizabeth Edenberg

    12. Epistemic Networks and Polarization Daniel J. Singer, Patrick Grim, Aaron Bramson, Bennett Holman, Jiin Jung, and William J. Berger

    13. Affective Polarization, Evidence, and Evidentialism Emily C. McWilliams

    14. The Point of Political Belief Michael Hannon and Jeroen de Ridder

    Part 3: Fake News, Propaganda, Misinformation

    Introduction to Part 3 Michael Hannon and Jeroen de Ridder

    15. What is Fake News? Axel Gelfert

    16. The Cognitive Science of Fake News Neil Levy and Robert M. Ross

    17. Filter Bubbles, Echo Chambers, Online Communities Hanna Kiri Gunn

    18. Modelling How False Beliefs Spread Cailin O’Connor and James Owen Weatherall

    19. Regulating the Spread of Online Misinformation Étienne Brown

    20. Propaganda, Irrationality, and Group Agency Megan Hyska

    Part 4: Ignorance and Irrationality in Politics

    Introduction to Part 4 Michael Hannon and Jeroen de Ridder

    21. Is Political Ignorance Rational? Ilya Somin

    22. Pragmatic Encroachment and Political Ignorance Kenneth Boyd

    23. Is Political Irrationality a Myth? Jeffrey Friedman

    24. The Irrational Attempt to Impute Irrationality to One’s Political Opponents Keith E. Stanovich

    25. Asymmetrical Irrationality: Are Only Other People Stupid? Robin McKenna

    Part 5: Epistemic Virtues and Vices in Politics

    Introduction to Part 5 Michael Hannon and Jeroen de Ridder

    26. Epistemic Vices, Ideologies and False Consciousness Quassim Cassam

    27. Engaging Closed-mindedly with your Polluted Media Feed Heather Battaly

    28. Virtues and Vices in Public and Political Debate Alessandra Tanesini

    29. Vices of the Privileged and Virtues of the Oppressed in Epistemic Group Dynamics José Medina

    30. Epistemic Corruption and Political Institutions Ian James Kidd

    Part 6: Democracy and Epistemology

    Introduction to Part 6 Michael Hannon and Jeroen de Ridder

    31. An Epistemic Argument for Democracy Hélène Landemore

    32. In Defense of Epistocracy: Enlightened Preference Voting Jason Brennan

    33. A Pragmatist’s Epistemic Argument for Democracy Robert B. Talisse

    34. Epistemic Norms of Political Deliberation Fabienne Peter

    35. The Epistemic Responsibilities of Citizens in a Democracy Cameron Boult

    36. The Epistemic Case for Non-Electoral Forms of Democracy Alexander Guerrero

    Part 7: Trust, Expertise, and Doubt

    Introduction to Part 7 Michael Hannon and Jeroen de Ridder

    37. The Role of Scientific Expertise in Democracy Heather Douglas

    38. Experts, Public Policy and the Question of Trust Maria Baghramian and Michel Croce

    39. Testimony, Deference, and Value Hallvard Lillehammer

    40. The Skeptic and the Climate Change Skeptic Alex Worsnip

    41. Online Trust and Distrust Mark Alfano and Emily Sullivan.

    Index

    Biography

    Michael Hannon is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Nottingham, UK. He is author of What’s the Point of Knowledge? (2019), and is writing the forthcoming Routledge book Political Epistemology: An Introduction.

    Jeroen de Ridder is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Professor (by special appointment) of Christian Philosophy at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands.

    "As democracies (or their citizens) struggle with populist political traumas upsetting communitarian unity/identity, this timely anthology provides critical insights into the knowledge base supporting political decisions. … Of interest to general readers and researchers in philosophy, psychology, sociology, communication, and politics. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates. Graduate students, faculty and professionals. General readers." - J. Gough, CHOICE