Abstract
This chapter provides a preliminary statement and defense of the book’s central hypothesis, namely: the purpose of the concept of knowledge is to identify reliable informants. This hypothesis is used to yield a systematic account of knowledge and knowledge claims. We start with the idea of an individual inquirer who needs an informant to satisfy her own need for information; then we imagine a more complex situation in which a community of individuals collaborate to pool and share information. As our interest in information becomes more socially directed, it becomes vital that we identify individuals who are sufficiently reliable for members of our community. After outlining this thought, this chapter defends it from objections. For example, what should we say about people who seem not to qualify as reliable informants and yet clearly have knowledge? Also, does this view lead to skepticism? And doesn’t all this rely on dubious quasi-historical postulations? This chapter provides answers to these (and other) questions.
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