Epistemic Community
An epistemic community is the shared network of testifiers we depend on for knowledge, since we can’t independently verify most of what we believe (textbooks, doctors, news, scientists, friends).
A functioning epistemic community requires:
- Reliable Testimony
- Adherence to the Norms of Assertion
- Trustworthy mechanisms for identifying experts
- Defenses against Bullshit and bad-faith actors
When trust breaks down
Rampant Bullshit, unchecked Bias, or propaganda degrade the community’s ability to know things at all.