Department of Philosophy

Ignorance and Irrationality in Politics

Location
A30 - Arts Centre Lecture Theatre
Date(s)
Monday 10th (13:00) - Tuesday 11th June 2019 (17:45)
Contact
For more information, please contact Michael Hannon
Registration URL
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ignorance-and-irrationality-in-politics-tickets-61570626401
Description

Ignorance and Irrationality in Politics

A Workshop at the University of Nottingham

June 10-11

A common belief is that democracies require informed voters if they are to function well. But when the price to be adequately informed is too high, it makes sense for voters to guide their beliefs by their desire for comfort, affiliation, and belonging. Does this conflict with the epistemic demands of democracy? If it is true, as some political scientist and psychologists allege, that political belief-formation is primarily driven by social identities and ‘tribal’ allegiances, does this make us irrational? What is required for epistemically responsible belief formation in the domain of politics?

The workshop will explore two issues: the extent and causes of citizen ignorance, and whether (and in what ways) belief formation in politics is epistemically irrational, even if it may reflect instrumental rationality on the part of citizens.

To register for this free workshop, please visit the Eventbrite page. 

Schedule:

June 10

12:45pm: Arrival and coffee

1:00pm - 2:30pm
PUBLIC IRRATIONALITY AND EPISTEMIC PATERNALISM
Robin McKenna
Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Liverpool

Break

2:45pm - 4:15pm
DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL IGNORANCE
Ilya Somin
Professor of Law at George Mason University

Break

4:30pm - 6:00pm
SCIENCE FUNDING AND THE MAKING OF IGNORANCE
Zeynep Pamuk
Supernumerary Fellow in Politics at St. John’s, Oxford

7pm Dinner (off site)

June 11

9:45am: Arrival and coffee

10am - 11:30am
FEELING DISCOMFORT: ACTIVE IGNORANCE AND ANGER
Alessandra Tanesini
Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cardiff

Break

11:45am - 1:15pm
EVIDENTIALISM AND POLITICAL POLARIZATION
Emily Colleen McWilliams
Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Duke Kunshan

Lunch

2:30pm - 4pm
EMPATHETIC UNDERSTANDING AND DELIBERATIVE DEMOCRACY
Michael Hannon
Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Nottingham

Break

4:15pm - 5:45pm
THE PERILS OF PERCEPTION: SYSTEMIC DRIVERS OF MISPERCEPTIONS
Bobby Duffy
Director of the Policy Institute, King’s College London

Department of Philosophy

University of Nottingham
University Park
Nottingham, NG7 2RD

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