Commentaries from Erik J. Olsson

In this chapter, the author argues that there are cases in which a nonexpert’s autonomously-formed belief is based on evidence that would otherwise be sufficient for justification, but where this belief is rendered unjustified by (potential) evidence which the nonexpert fails to take into account. He gives various examples in support of his claim. One involves Roger, a food scientist for a large food corporation, who is also an enthusiastic cook. The rules of thumb he has derived from his cooking experience are very reliable, but not as reliable as the scientific method he masters. The author reports that he has argued, in earlier work, that the source of the “ought” is in the normative expectations others are entitled to have based on a person’s participation in various social practices. He thinks that his account underpins a kind of “social-epistemic bootstrapping”, which he thinks is “happy”.