Epistemic Value Research Articles

The epistemic value of natural theology

The epistemic value of natural theology

Purchase intention toward E-pharmacy: the consumption value perspective

Purpose This study aims to examine consumer purchase behavior towards E-pharmacy from a consumption value perspective. For this purpose, the influence of consumption values on consumer purchase intention is evaluated. Further, the role of consumer involvement in online purchase setup in the context of E-pharmacy is observed using moderation analysis. Design/methodology/approach The study used a cross-sectional survey design, wherein the respondents in the Delhi-National Capital Region of India were approached using a purposive sampling method. Responses received through the structured questionnaire were subjected to analysis using Smart PLS Version 4.0.9.6. Findings Results indicate a significant influence of functional (partial), emotional, social and conditional values on consumers’ purchase intention. Moreover, the moderation effect of consumer online involvement is seen in functional value (partial) and emotional value–purchase intention relationships. Research limitations/implications This study reinforces the use of the consumption value perspective to explain consumer purchase behavior toward information system (IS)-based platforms such as E-pharmacy. Some of the results, in this context, that did not establish significant relationships between a given form of consumption values and purchase intention, open up the possibilities of retesting the said relationships in the future. The researchers would realize the benefit of such examinations, as the E-pharmacy sector further evolves and matures in the future. Further, the successful establishment of a significant moderating role of consumer online involvement in certain consumption value-purchase intention relationships such as safety, perceived convenience and comfort value paves the way for future researchers to explore consumer online involvement for a similar role in IS research. Practical implications This study provides cues for E-pharmacy marketers to focus on enhancing product safety, usage comfort, users’ social image and awareness toward health consciousness that will help build purchase intention and assist in overcoming the challenges in the long run. It further suggests that marketers should have a strong re-look at forming price value perceptions and they must enhance the interactive features of the company’s mobile apps/websites with the help of the emerging artificial intelligence tools to re-orient the epistemic value and perceived convenience value toward E-pharmacy services. Furthermore, this study recommends following digital marketing practices to increase consumer online involvement, which would help strengthen perceived convenience formation that would otherwise be difficult to attain for E-pharmacy consumers. Originality/value This study provides novel insight into consumer purchase intention evaluation through the consumption value perspective in an emerging E-pharmacy market. The consumption value frame of reference helps to understand consumers’ buying rationale that affects their buying behavior beyond the initial adoption. Further, the moderation analysis of consumer online involvement provides an additional dimension to understanding consumer buying behavior concerning E-pharmacy.

Should We Believe in Cells, or Just Remain Agnostic about Them? A Critical Analysis Through Bas van Fraassen’s Lenses.

For constructive empiricism, being observable or unobservable is defining for deciding about the empirical adequacy and epistemic value of theory components. The classification of microscopic images has been particularly debated. van Fraassen initially classified microscope images as unobservable and then as mere images, like rainbows. Afterwards, he claimed it is not irrational to maintain neutrality about their classification and left them in some kind of limbo between being images of something real or being mere images. Here, I provide an argument to classify microscopic images of cells as copy-qualified images. The argument is described in general terms to sustain that any unobservable entity that is derived from observable self-dividing entities and looks similar to the observable entity when detected under the microscope, corresponds to a copy-qualified image of something real. Because of the existence in nature of large observable cells that fulfil these properties, I conclude that microscopic images of cells are images of something real. This determines their empirical adequacy and epistemic value, making them hard-core and stable components of biological theories. The argument described provides a strategy to develop a more grained classification of what is observable and unobservable with the consequent implications for theory development.

Food Image and Destination Loyalty: The Mediating Role of Local Food Consumption Values

Local food tourism is becoming increasingly popular, riveting academics to determine the relationships between food image, loyalty, and local food consumption values. The authors particularly aimed to examine how food image might impact loyalty and the mediating role of local food consumption values in this relationship. The research sample comprises foreign tourists visiting İstanbul and Antalya. Analyses were performed over the data collected from 659 foreign tourists visiting the relevant destinations. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used for testing the hypotheses. The results revealed that food image is an influential element that plays a determinant role on local food consumption values. Moreover, it was found that food image affects loyalty positively and significantly. It was concluded that taste/quality value, epistemic value and interaction value mediate the relationship between food image and loyalty. On the grounds of the research findings, suggestions were presented for practitioners and future research.

Impact of artificial intelligence-enabled service quality on user consumption value and continuous intention to use mobile fitness applications: Evidence from China

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been applied to mobile fitness applications (MFAs) to improve users’ continuance usage intention. Most of the literature has considered the adoption factors of MFA but has ignored the impact of AI effectiveness. To address this research gap, we develop a research model by integrating AI service quality and the theory of consumption value (TCV) to explore users’ continuance intention. Using a survey approach, a total of 416 valid questionnaires were collected in China, and the model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that functional, emotional, social, epistemic, and conditional values partially mediate the relationships between AI service quality and the continuance usage intention of AI-enabled MFAs. This study contributes to the literature by considering and examining the effect of AI service quality on users’ assessment of different consumption values, which advances the understanding of the AI service quality function in AI-enabled MFAs.

Examining Multidimensional Aspects of Perceived Value Determinants: A Comprehensive Exploration of Personal Computer Acquisitions among Rural Customers

This study aims to examine the effects of perceived Value, i.e. epistemic value, hedonic value and social value, on PC purchase intention in rural market. Now these Days Computer and Information technology increasing very fast manner and both Customer , whether located in city or village, buy the Personal Computer and use them (Census 2011). Perceived Value is one of the major for purchasing a product specially when and consumers will buy a product with high Perceived Value (Dodds and Monroe 1985). Perceived Value can fast build brand Entity and recognition and help to understand the need and want of specific Market. It will help marketers to make the strategy for the rural customer. As Rural customer are conscious for value for money. This study aims to explore the effects Perceived value on Personal Computer Intention in rural market.

Determinants of Consumption Value on Intention to Use Shariah Mobile Banking: Exploring the Role of Consumer Preference

This study analyzes the use of mobile banking by both Islamic and conventional bank customers using the theory of consumption value. The aim of this research is to evaluate the factors influencing customers' decisions to use dual mobile banking services. The proposed hypothesis is that the intention to use Islamic mobile banking services is influenced by functional, conditional, social, emotional, and epistemic values mediated by consumer preferences. The method used is structural equation modeling with partial least squares (SEM-PLS) with a sample of 191 people, all of whom use both conventional and Islamic mobile banking. The results show that the theory of consumption value does not directly affect the interest in using mobile banking, either conventional or Islamic, except for the emotional value variable. Consumer preferences mediate the effect of functional, conditional, emotional, and epistemic values on the intention to use conventional mobile banking. Meanwhile, conditional, emotional, and epistemic values influence the interest in using Islamic mobile banking, which is mediated by consumer preferences. These findings indicate that the consumer's intention to use mobile banking is influenced by the theory of consumption value regardless of whether the service is Islamic or not. The implication of this research is that Islamic mobile banking services need to improve their service quality by considering consumer preferences and the theory of consumption value, thereby enhancing the usage of services by both conventional and Islamic bank customers.

"Eco-conscious appetites: Investigating organic food purchase intentions through consumption values, empowered by environmental self-identity and analyzed using MGA – Baltic insights"

Growing consumer interest in organic food has attracted the attention of the academic community. While the existing literature broadly examines the acceptability of organic food, there is a recognized need to delve deeper into consumer values. This study fills this gap by applying the theory of consumer values. The data was collected as part of a survey of 1000 Lithuanian consumers to evaluate the proposed hypotheses empirically. The results show that functional value (quality), social value, conditional value, emotional value, and epistemic value positively influence purchase intention for organic food. Conversely, functional value (price) does not significantly impact the purchase intention of organic food. Furthermore, the study recognizes a significant moderating impact of environmental self-identity in shaping the relationship between conditional value, emotional value, and purchase intention of organic food. In addition, a multi-group analysis examines notable differences between consumer groups based on gender, education, age, and income. The results indicate significant group differences, showing that purchasing behavior among women, younger consumers, those with higher incomes, and those with higher education levels are more susceptible to these values. This research improves our understanding of consumer values regarding organic food in Lithuania and provides valuable guidance to managers and policymakers. By recognizing the intricate interplay between different values and the influence of environmental self-identity, stakeholders can better tailor their marketing efforts and policies to meet the unique preferences of different consumer groups, ultimately promoting the growth of the organic food market.

Drivers and outcomes of a shopper-retailer's app relationship

Drawing on the theory of consumption values, consumer-brand relationship paradigm and “lovemark” notion, the reported research offers insights into the role of retail apps in cultivating meaningful relationships with mobile shoppers. The storyline of this research is that a strong shopper-retailer's app relationship is manifested by app respect and app love, which in turn, yield active app-supportive behaviors such as app evangelism and app defense. Both app respect and app love underpin shoppers' perceptions of an array of utilitarian- and hedonic-laden values derived from shopping apps. Data collected in retail fashion apps' settings lend support to the proposed model. App respect is more derived from the app's utilitarian-laden values, whereas app love is more derived from the app's hedonic-laden values. More specifically, functional and epistemic values, as utilitarian-laden values, generate app respect. Conditional, emotional, and social values, as hedonic-charged values, yield app love. Furthermore, app respect and app love generate distinct retailer's app relational outcomes; while app respect influences app defense, app love has more influence on app evangelism. The paper discusses the theoretical and managerial implications of the findings and offers directions for future research.

Switching to green vehicles for last-mile delivery: why perceived green product knowledge, consumption values and environmental concern matter

PurposeThis study investigated the intention of carriers to switch to green vehicles in last-mile delivery (GVLDs) in an emerging market.Design/methodology/approachA research model was developed based on the association between consumption value theory (CVT), perceived GVLD knowledge and environmental concern. An online survey was administered to carriers who use conventional vehicles for last-mile delivery. This study examined the model using structural equation modeling.FindingsResults indicate that environmental concern and attitudes toward adopting GVLDs are significantly cultivated through consumption value. Specifically, epistemic value was the most significant in promoting environmental awareness, while social value was paramount in fostering attitudes toward GVLDs. Furthermore, perceived GVLD knowledge motivated consumption value. Similarly, environmental concern positively impacted attitudes toward adopting GVLDs. Finally, environmental concerns and attitudes induced carriers’ intention to switch to GVLDs.Practical implicationsThe findings can help policymakers, manufacturers and logistics providers understand carriers’ decisions of shifting to GVLDs from a perspective of perceived consumption value, green product knowledge and environmental preservation while discussing practical recommendations for promoting the switch to GVLDs.Originality/valueThis study is an early endeavor that elucidates the switching behavior toward adopting GVLDs. It emphasizes incorporating perceived GVLD knowledge and environmental concern into CVT in the context of a developing country. This study enriches the understanding of how to promote environmental awareness and attitudes toward adopting GVLDs.

Brand Image and Consumer Perceived Values on Purchase Intention of Organic Food: A Conceptual Study

Organic food is quickly developing in China as consumer wealth and consumption levels have grown in recent years; the Chinese government's "Healthy China Action (2019-2030)" promotes a balanced diet and works to raise the standard of agricultural output and food safety. Even though China has Asia's largest organic food market, organic food has a small market share and low consumer expenditure. As a result, decisive steps to boost the growth of China's organic food market are urgently needed. This study aims to explore the factors related to Chinese people’s purchase intention of organic food using the S-O-R model. Brand image and consumer perceived values are crucial because they influence customer purchase behavior. This study emphasizes brand image, perceived functional, emotional and social values on consumer purchase intention. Epistemic value and conditional value were excluded because they have detrimental impacts on consumer choice behavior. The contribution of this study is to enrich the existing literature by providing a deeper understanding of organic food consumer purchase intention in China through the application of brand image and consumer perceived values using the S-O-R model. It also provides Chinese policymakers and organic food suppliers with solutions to increase organic food sales to expand the Chinese organic food market.

What is creativity?

Abstract I argue for an account of creativity that unifies creative achievements in the arts, sciences, and other domains and identifies its characteristic value. This account draws upon case studies of creative work in both the arts and sciences to identify creativity as a kind of successful exploration. I argue that if creativity is properly understood in this way, then it is fundamentally a property of processes, something only agents can achieve, something that comes in degrees, subjectively novel, and non-formulaic. As I develop the account, I show how it avoids challenges faced by other accounts of creativity, especially concerning creativity's value. Hills and Bird have together argued that creativity is not necessarily valuable. My account challenges this view. If I am right that creativity is a kind of successful exploration, then creativity does have a characteristic value, specifically epistemic value.

Priming tourists with traditional gastronomic delicacies: embracing a responsible approach towards sustainable consumption practice

PurposeAmidst the rising awareness of sustainable consumption, this study aims to delve into the dimensions shaping individuals' preferences for traditional gastronomic delicacies taking an emerging economy’s perspective, India.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research methodology in the form of a Grounded Theory Approach is used to develop theories. Important dimensions that drive attitude and intention towards experiencing traditional gastronomic delicacies are explored. Based on literary inputs and qualitative study, a research framework is developed and empirically validated thereon with SEM analysis using SPSS-AMOS.FindingsDrawing on the Theory of Consumption Values and Stakeholder Theory, key influencers (consumption values) of traditional gastronomic delicacies were identified as Travel Motivation (Functional Values), Tourist Expectations (Emotional Values), Socio-economic Perspectives (Socio-economic Values), Mindful Consumption Practice (Epistemic Values), Community Awareness (Epistemic Values) and Sustainable Marketing Stimuli (Conditional Values).Practical implicationsThis research has a multifaceted impact. At the macro-level, it supports stakeholders in Gastronomic Tourism (GT) – marketers, regional tourism bodies, policymakers and tour operators with distinct consumer values – in crafting regional culinary tourism, influencing economic policies and advocating for cultural conservation. At the micro-level, it aids scholars in initiating future research to elevate dining experiences, promote consumer education and tackle health and nutritional aspects within the evolving gastronomic industry.Originality/valueThis study makes a novel attempt to explore important drivers, categorizing the drivers into distinct consumer values that influence tourists and food connoisseurs towards traditional gastronomic delicacies by blending an innovative qualitative research methodology like grounded theory approach supported by the empirical validation process (quantitative). Additionally, it proposes a theoretical framework for future advancement of gastronomic literature.

Constitutional Fallacies

ABSTRACT Defenders of epistemic democracy propose that the “wisdom of the many” will result in superior outcomes: in this context, they hold that widespread participation will yield better constitutional norms. While this argument, featured prominently in Hélène Landemore’s recent work, raises significant normative concerns, this essay focuses on the causal mechanism it posits and the evidence adduced for the claim. Drawing on Jeremy Bentham’s critiques of common lawyers’ claims to wisdom, this essay argues it is better to defend inclusivity on the grounds that it will promote the people’s interests, rather than on the epistemic value of popular participation.

Consumption Value and Organic Food Purchasing Behavior of Online Consumers

This study examined how consumption value theory, religious knowledge, website quality, and e-satisfaction influence consumers’ online organic food purchasing behavior. This study collected 989 data points from Bangladeshi online organic food consumers using convenience sampling and analyzed them using SPSS and PLS 4.0-SEM. The results indicate that apart from epistemic value all other consumption values, such as functional, emotional, social and conditional influence online organic food purchases through the mediating effect of religious knowledge, website quality and e-satisfaction. Consumption value is an emerging theory in organic food purchasing research, a new phenomenon in this context. The current study makes a groundbreaking contribution to theory development and contextualization. Consumption value theory has been studied in organic food purchase research predominantly in developed nations. By investigating the theory in the context of online organic food purchasing behavior in Bangladesh, this study validates its generalizability and adds to the existing body of knowledge. In addition, the mediating role of religious knowledge in the relationship between organic food purchasing intention and purchasing decision online has been given little attention by the previous literature. The study proposes several strategies for organic food marketers that would stimulate consumers’ values and relevant context, encouraging them to buy more organic food online, and thus increase the development and profit of online organic food businesses, which is extremely important toward creating a healthy nation.

Factors influencing muslims’ purchase intention of halal-certified over-the-counter (OTC) medicines in Bekasi, Indonesia

Self-medication in Indonesia has recently increased; consumers can easily purchase non-prescription medicines, many people use over-the-counter (OTC) medicines as an alternative for self-medication. In this study, the researchers have chosen to address the gap in the literature pertaining to purchase intention on halal pharmaceuticals, whereas, the focus is on purchase intention of halal certified OTC medicines. This study was conducted in Bekasi, Indonesia. 325 Muslim consumers in Bekasi, Indonesia, participated in this study. The information was gathered using questionnaires with convenient sampling techniques. Through utilizing the theory of consumption value, which consists of the factors of functional value (price), functional value (quality), social value (pharmacist advice), emotional value (halal logo), conditional value, and epistemic value of respondents' intentions to purchase halal-certified OTC medicines. The findings of this study, three factors: functional value (quality), emotional value, and epistemic value, have a significant relationship with the purchase intention of halal-certified OTC medicines in Bekasi, Indonesia.

Wallaert, S. (2023). Kwaad Spreken: Wie Gelooft de Boze Vrouw?. Borgerhout: Letterwerk. Review by Alexia Debbaut

Sigrid Wallaert’s Kwaad Spreken: Wie Gelooft de Boze Vrouw? (translation: Knowing Anger: Who Believes the Angry Woman?) is part of the Questa-series essays, a series launched by the Belgian publisher Letterwerk, which foregrounds critical feminist writing. All essays in this series focus on specific topics (such as ethics, love, age, music...) or specific philosophies (like feminist ethics, feminist philosophy, the philosophy of Proust, etc.). Knowing Anger is an important contribution to contemporary feminist debate because it sheds light on the (omni)presence of feminist anger and its epistemic value. As Wallaert puts it, anger is more than the wrapping paper in which you pack your message. It is an essential part of what you have to say (Wallaert, 2023, p. 29). She speaks of an ‘anger turn’, as she sees a new prominence of (the use of) feminist anger in the (non-fiction) publishing industry, the media, the academic world and politics, parallel to Sara Ahmed’s ‘happiness turn.’ Wallaert investigates where this anger comes from and how it is used as an enabling force in feminist activism by using Miranda Fricker’s Epistemic Injustice: Power and the Ethics of Knowing (2007).

Soundness arguments for consistency and their epistemic value: A critical note

Abstract Soundness Arguments for the consistency of a (mathematical) theory S aim to show that S is consistent by first showing or employing the fact that S is sound, i.e., that all theorems of S are true. Although soundness arguments are virtually unanimously accepted as valid and sound for most of our accepted theories, philosophers disagree about their epistemic value, i.e., about whether such arguments can be employed to improve our epistemic situation concerning questions of consistency. This article provides a (partial) negative answer to this question and argues that soundness arguments cannot be employed to justify their conclusion. Additionally, soundness arguments are unconvincing; they cannot be employed to overcome reasonable open-mindedness about their conclusion.

Evaluation factors of adopting smart home IoT: The hybrid fuzzy MCDM approach for robot vacuum

With the vigorous development of information technology, the applications of the Internet of Things (IoT) have become increasingly common in recent years. Robot vacuum has become a popular and representative product in smart homes. This study proposed a hybrid fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model that applied fuzzy analytic network process (FANP) and decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) to analyze the critical factors evaluated by users when adopting a robot vacuum. It was found that the top two dimensions in order are “epistemic value” and “functional value”; and the top five factors in order are “novelty”, “exploratory”, “family information infrastructure”, “family consensus”, and “reliability”. Significant influential and affected factors were identified. Gender differences in decision-making factors are also discussed.

Mazibuyele emasisweni: the nexus of Ubuntu philosophy, climate change and green social work

Climate change is a universal challenge that affects every country, community and individual. Importantly, its discourse requires collective participation from all academic disciplines, professionals, government sectors, classes and persons at a larger scale, not elite-imposed values. By adopting the critical paradigm, this article reviews the relevance of Ubuntu philosophy as an epistemic value of ordinary African people and of social work, which needs to be appreciated in climate change discourse. Most importantly, the hegemony of the imperialist values of the elite is explicated herein through the adoption of the narrative literature review method. The discussions highlight the nexus and relevance of a climate change discourse that should also be co-driven by social work and ordinary African people through the Ubuntu philosophy. For sustainable livelihoods, this article argues that Ubuntu, as an Afrocentric attitude, challenges the Western values of individuality and living for today without considering others and future generations.