Why We Doubt: A Cognitive Account of Our Skeptical Inclinations

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Prof N. Ángel Pinillos (Associate Professor, Associate Professor, Arizona State University)

Why We Doubt

A Cognitive Account of Our Skeptical Inclinations

Prof N. Ángel Pinillos (Associate Professor, Associate Professor, Arizona State University)

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English

Oxford University Press
19 October 2023

Philosophy: epistemology & theory of knowledge; Philosophy of mind; Cognition & cognitive psychology

This book, the first of its kind, puts forward a novel, unified cognitive account of skeptical doubt. Historically, most philosophers have tried to tackle this difficult topic by directly arguing that skeptical doubt is false. But N. Ángel Pinillos does something different. He begins by trying to uncover the hidden mental rule which, for better or worse, motivates our skeptical inclinations. He then gives an account of the broader cognitive purpose of having and applying this rule. Based on these ideas, he shows how we can give a new response to the traditional problem of global skepticism. He also argues that philosophical skepticism is not just something that comes up during philosophical reflection, as David Hume, Charles Sanders Peirce and other philosophers have urged. Instead, it is of great practical significance. The rule which produces skepticism may itself be operative in certain pathologies such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, in creative endeavors, and in conspiratorial thinking. The rule can also explain some of our reluctance to trust statistical evidence, especially in legal settings. More broadly, this volume aims to breathe new life into a classic problem in philosophy by tackling it from a new perspective and exploring new areas of application. The book will be of interest to philosophers, psychologists and anyone interested in the human capacity to doubt and to question our beliefs.

By: Prof N. Ángel Pinillos (Associate Professor Associate Professor Arizona State University)
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 242mm, Width: 164mm, Spine: 22mm
Weight: 1g
ISBN: 9780198871965
ISBN 10: 0198871961
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 19 October 2023
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

N. Ángel Pinillos is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ. He earned a BS in Mathematics from Tufts University and a PhD in Philosophy from Rutgers University. He has authored numerous scholarly articles on cognitive science and epistemology as well as on the philosophy of language. Pinillos has presented his work in over a dozen countries and has also written for public venues, including the New York Times.

Reviews for Why We Doubt: A Cognitive Account of Our Skeptical Inclinations

Pinillos gets serious about skeptical doubt as a psychological phenomenon, offering us a cognitive-scientific account of where it comes from... The book is a major contribution to empirically informed epistemology and a model for how to bring cognitive science to bear on traditional philosophical issues. * Matthew McGrath, Washington University in St. Louis * This [is a] really excellent monograph. I learned a ton from this book. It is remarkably deeply and broadly researched and meticulously argued. It covers so much ground-in both cognitive science and epistemology... * Branden Fitelson, Northeastern University *