Political Epistemology: An Introduction

The New Scientist recently declared that ＂Philosophers of knowledge, your time has come＂ and even Barack Obama has warned of an ＂epistemological crisis.＂ Following the election of Donald Trump for the second time, the rise of populism, and the proliferation of misinformation and conspiracy theories, epistemological questions are now forefront in our political lives. Can epistemology explain the challenges of ＂post-truth＂? Does voter ignorance threaten democracy? Is political disagreement epistemically valuable or harmful?

This extremely timely introduction to political epistemology tackles these questions and many more. In a clear and engaging style, Michael Hannon and Elise Woodard examine the following key topics: the relation between truth and politics, including the arguments of Plato, Mill and Rawls; the epistemology of democracy, including questions about how democracies must be fair and representative and also make good decisions; how political ignorance may undermine democracy; irrationality and partisan bias; political belief and group loyalty; political disagreement and polarization; and the potential conflict between democracy and expert authority.

With the inclusion of chapter summaries and further reading, Political Epistemology: An Introduction is the ideal starting place for anyone studying this fascinating and rapidly growing topic, whether in epistemology, political philosophy, or applied ethics. It will also be of interest to students and researchers in related fields, such as political science, law, and public policy.

Michael Hannon is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Nottingham, UK, and Director of The Aristotelian Society. He works in epistemology, social and political philosophy, and ethics. Hannon is an Associate Editor for the Journal of the American Philosophical Association, commissioning editor for The Philosophers’ Magazine, and founding director of the Political Epistemology Network.

Elise Woodard is Lecturer in Legal and Political Philosophy at the Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London, UK. She was previously the Stalnaker Postdoctoral Associate in Philosophy at MIT, after completing her PhD in 2022 at the University of Michigan, USA. She is currently working on issues regarding consent, inquiry, and political epistemology.