Introduction to the Epistemology of Testimony

Abstract

Spoken and written testimony pervades much of our life. I hear the announcement that the train is delayed, I read that Philip Roth has published another novel, and one’s partner can tell you that she loves you. A good deal of our knowledge would appear to be testimonial knowledge – perhaps most. Curiously, though, until fairly recently philosophers did not often concern themselves with this way of acquiring knowledge, and it was thought that one should be suspicious of beliefs acquired in this way. To know something one must be able to reason it through for oneself, or perceive it oneself, and not just acquire it secondhand from someone else. Here is Locke expressing this “individualist” approach to knowledge.