Introduction

Abstract

The introduction consists of a nontechnical presentation of the central themes and ambitions of the book. It begins by characterizing folk epistemology and by noting the centrality of the ascriptions of knowledge in it. Subsequently, the central view defended in the book—strict purist invariantism—is introduced along with the equilibristic methodology that guides the investigation. In particular, it is emphasized that folk epistemological judgments may be biased and that they, therefore, cannot straightforwardly play a role as data that a theory must be made to fit. Consequently, it is suggested that empirical research on folk epistemology depends on epistemological theorizing. In slogan: Our folk epistemological practices should inform epistemology but folk epistemology should not rule epistemology. The introduction ends with a brief chapter-by-chapter survey and a guide for how the book might be read selectively.