Appropriate Quote by Ernest Sosa
“When we speak of ordinary unqualified knowledge, my thought is that we are implicitly relativizing to the standards imposed by our evolution-derived humanity. These are standards that determine when we consider it appropriate to store beliefs just as a human being, rather than in one's capacity as an expert of one or another sort. Such stored beliefs are to be available for later use in one's own thought or in testimony to others.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Knowledge and Truth in Philosophy, Ernest Sosa, 2007
We judge what counts as ordinary knowledge by comparing it to human, standards, not expert criteria.
In simple terms: Ordinary knowledge is judged by human standards.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the limits of everyday knowledge.
Themes
epistemology
relativism
human nature
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- education
- daily decision making
- expert consultation
- testimony
Key Concepts
evolutionary psychology
normative standards
belief formation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we decide what counts as ordinary knowledge?
- When might expert standards be more appropriate?
A Different Perspective
Human standards may overlook specialized expertise.
![“[T]he appropriate form of address between man and man ought to be, not monsieur, sir, but fellow sufferer, compagnon de miseres.” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/be6/arthur-schopenhauer-226_addresses_t-he-appropriate-form-of-address-between_32897.jpg)
