Program and Year: 2018 New Investigator Operating Grant
Project Title: Blame and Belief
Department: Philosophy
Faculty: Faculty of Arts, Brandon University
Synopsis:
This research examines how we react to others when we perceive them to inquire irresponsibly; it aims to better understand the source of deep disagreements in society, and what we can do as individuals to make meaningful contributions to the democratic process.
What will the impacts/benefits of this research be to Manitoba/Canada?
By gaining a foundational understanding of this important area of our social and political lives, this project aims to develop conceptual tools to promote healthier civic discourse.
What do you hope to achieve at the end of your Research Manitoba funded project?
This project has produced four articles in widely-cited peer-reviewed international journals, including one in Philosophy Compass, the leading peer-reviewed journal for critical surveys of new and upcoming areas of research in the humanities. The project has also enabled the writing of a book titled The Puzzle of Epistemic Blame: On the Nature and Norms of Epistemic Relationships. The book makes a novel contribution to an active area of research in social and political epistemology, but, more importantly, it summarizes the project’s results in an accessible, engaging, and informative way for audiences beyond academia.
How did the funds you received from Research Manitoba advance this research and/or your career? Did you receive additional funding for this project as a result of your Research Manitoba grant?
Funds from Research Manitoba supported a research visit to the COGITO Centre for Epistemology, at the University of Glasgow. I was fortunate to spend time working with some of the best researchers in the UK and globally, culminating in a symposium on a draft of the book manuscript enabled by the project. Funds from Research Manitoba also supported the training of a Student Research Assistant at Brandon University, and the purchase of Open Access rights to the Philosophy Compass article. This article is now available online to anyone interested the social dimensions of knowledge! Opens in new windowhttps://doi.org/10.1111/phc3.12762