@unc-aep
Project at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill promoting outstanding scholarship that applies the questions and tools of epistemology to issues of pressing public concern. More information at aep.unc.edu.
New paper! I investigate cases where experts tacitly encode value judgments into their public pronouncements, and examine the complications this presents for the rationality of deference to experts, with a particular focus on pandemic policy. (1/2)
philpapers.org/rec/WORCVJ
![[AEP Explainers] Ignorance (with Jessie Munton)](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:gsnbi5rhjedvauzmxg3r7ahz/bafkreic4jud2g6c6j4qomu3ugkgo2csudpfaqisoaci7sxzhexjom4pazq)
Very excited to share our fourth "explainer video". (Refresher: these are ~5 min animations introducing applied epistemology concepts for a wide audience.) This one's on ignorance, featuring a script by Jessie Munton! Please share & consider using in teaching!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOj3...
Uh, make that 2026. Apologies!
Whoops! Yes!!
Interested in serving as a respondent? Apply by October 31st; instructions here: philevents.org/event/show/1... (3/3)
We have a fantastic, interdisciplinary lineup including @aecoppock.bsky.social, @kfrostarnold.bsky.social, Megan Hyska, Rishi Joshi, @jleadermaynard.bsky.social, @pamukz.bsky.social, @gordpennycook.bsky.social, and @esydnor.bsky.social. (2/3)
We're delighted to announce the fourth (and final!) Applied Epistemology Project workshop, on Applied Epistemology in Times of Political Crisis, here at UNC on March 6-7, 2025. (1/3)
AEP research getting out there! 👏👏👏
I wrote about epistemic trespassing and why it is bad for my Substack. Tl;dr: it is tempting to talk about it as a moral failing but I think it is often more helpful to view trespassing behaviour as a rational response to bad incentives.
rbnmckenna86.substack.com/p/what-is-wr...
New blog post! AEP postdoc Will Conner discusses recent news that Meta has been accused of cheating on AI benchmark tests, leading to a broader discussion of the value of such tests drawing on Thi Nguyen's work on gamification and value capture. Check it out!
aep.unc.edu/2025/07/09/g...
Good Plain English pod featuring @holdenthorp.bsky.social. I appreciated Holden’s candor regarding scientists’ attempts to influence politics and when such attempts might edge into epistemic trespassing, which is an idea addressed in our recent paper (1/2) open.spotify.com/episode/4Pee...
![[AEP Explainers] The Epistemology of Free Speech (with Robert Simpson)](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:gsnbi5rhjedvauzmxg3r7ahz/bafkreiaza6rygvy5scypoax25af7l3unyu62ddzef7j3ijejwxpdtzljue)
Very excited to share our third "explainer video". (Refresher: these are ~5 min animations introducing applied epistemology concepts for a wide audience.) This one's on epist of free speech, featuring a script by Rob Simpson! Please share & consider using in teaching!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMgb...
But what about when an individual expert tells you something and you don't know whether it's the consensus or subject to expert disagreement? Should you defer then? In his new paper forthcoming in PPR, AEP Fellow Devin Lane argues that you generally shouldn't. Check it out:
philpapers.org/rec/LANSYD
Many (applied) epistemologists think that when you know that there's expert consensus about something, you should defer to the expert consensus. And many of them also think that when you know the experts disagree, you should suspend judgment. (1/2)
Reminder: tomorrow is the deadline to apply for this! It's a chance to get expert instruction in public writing on applied epistemology, feedback from peers, and to enjoy an in-person workshop here at UNC
🥁🎉It's time again! My colleague Thomas Grundmann is organising the Cologne Summer School in Philosophy. This year's star is @aworsnip.bsky.social (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). 🎊📢
You can find more information on the following website: cssip.uni-koeln.de
Spread the word and repost!
Interested in writing applied epistemology for a public-facing audience? Apply to be part of our new working group! It'll meet four times over the summer, followed by a capstone in-person event here at UNC in September facilitated by Eleanor Gordon-Smith. Details here:
philevents.org/event/show/1...
![[AEP Explainers] Political Polarization (with Kevin Dorst)](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:gsnbi5rhjedvauzmxg3r7ahz/bafkreiftrumwhyygrsyxbwjalcw4bhofvqbnnqczxfihxkajxjbpi2nlwi)
Very excited to share our second "explainer video". (Refresher: these are ~5 min animations introducing applied epistemology concepts for a wide audience.) This one's on polarization, featuring a script by Kevin Dorst! Please share, consider using in teaching, etc!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9nd...
Fascinating new post on our blog by Emily McWilliams, discussing the denial and undertreatment of women's pain in medical procedures through the lens of applied epistemological work on testimonial injustice, manufactured ignorance, and motivated reasoning:
aep.unc.edu/2025/03/17/t...
New Paper in Philosophical Psychology:
Trust in experts is low. Why? How bad is it? And what should we do? To answer these questions, we reviewed philosophy (when *ought* we defer to the experts) and psychology (when *do* people defer to the experts).
Link in comments!
i'm taking part in this philosophy panel on the future of social media next month, with @geneickers.bsky.social, @joe-saunders.bsky.social, and organiser @annabortolan.bsky.social.
it's online and open to the public, so sign up if you want to hear some hot takes!
I wrote a blog post about Samuel Alito as a case study in the ethics of suspicion and psychologizing
blogs.cardiff.ac.uk/openfordebat...
Check out this interdisciplinary review paper on deference to experts by a team of AEP Fellows (current and past)!
Consider applying to be part of this summer school (aimed at researchers of all career stages) on applied epistemology featuring AEP Director @aworsnip.bsky.social!
New from me @theconversation.com
We're witnessing a celebration of "common sense" among the new admin & their allies.
But remember: celebrating common sense and denigrating expertise/evidence IS ideological.
And is NOT a reliable path to truth.
theconversation.com/how-populist...
I’ve been studying this problem since 2015. Obviously the nature of this changed with the birth of X. It’s gone from over-indexed on the political nerds & activists to over-indexed on Nazis & fascists. It’s no good.
I started a Political Epistemology substack, and I decided to begin with an uncontroversial topic.
I currently have 3 followers, but I welcome more!
missed tag: @mvazquez.bsky.social
Will Conner introducing the event.
Yan Chen and Will Conner smiling at the event.
...navigating misinformation, and promoting responsible belief formation in their classrooms. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the thoughtful conversations, to @theihs.org and the Parr Center for Ethics for their support, and to Yan Chen, Will Conner, and Michael Vazquez for organizing! (2/2)
Jeff Greene standing in front of a slide that reads: "So...what can teachers do to help students form responsible beliefs in the modern world?"
Paula McAvoy presenting a group activity.
On Saturday, K-12 educators from across the Triangle joined us on UNC's campus for "The Art of Inquiry: Promoting Responsible Belief in the Classroom." With guidance from @jeffgreene.bsky.social (UNC) and Paula McAvoy (NCState), participants learned strategies for fostering critical thinking...(1/2)