Prof. Richard Pettigrew (Bristol) will give a masterclass on Epistemic Utility Theory at King’s College London on Thursday-Saturday April 27th-29th, 2017. In addition to the masterclass we will have three guest talks by Jason Konek (Kent), Julien Dutant (KCL) and Clayton Littlejohn (KCL).

The event is open to graduate students and researchers from any institution. Attendance is free but registration is required. To register fill in the form below.

Here is a pdf version of the programme.

Presentation

Richard Pettigrew has recently published Accuracy and the Laws of Credence (OUP 2016) that presents the approach and its results as well as a number of articles in the field. He has directed an ERC project on Epistemic Utility Theory (2013-16) and is leading a Leverhulme project on the Scientific Approach to Epistemology (2015-18). He also blogs on mathematical philosophy.

What are the norms that govern our beliefs and our degrees of belief? How should my degree of belief that I am in Bristol relate to my degree of belief that I am in England? How should I set my degrees of belief before I learn any evidence? How should I then update them in the light of new evidence? How should I respond to evidence concerning objective chances or my future beliefs or a disagreement with my peers? How should I aggregate the different degrees of belief of a group of experts? Accuracy-first epistemology (or epistemic utility theory) provides a unified framework in which to provide principled answers to these questions and justifications for the norms that result. It is a teleological approach — it identifies a particular goal for beliefs and degrees of belief, and establishes norms for those doxastic states by arguing that obeying the norms best serves the end of achieving those goals. In this masterclass, I’ll describe the framework, situate it in the landscape of epistemology, explore the norms that have already been treated in the framework, explain the justifications that have been given for them, and look ahead to future avenues for research.

The event is organized by the Formal Methods research group of KCL’s philosophy department.

Registration

The event is open to graduates and researchers from any institution. KCL philosophy undergraduates are welcome too. Attendance is free but registration is required. To register fill in the form below.

Programme

All talks take place on King’s College Strand Campus but in different rooms. Strand building is the main entrance building on strand. For Northfolk building (Friday morning) see the detailed campus map here. Note that only KCL members can get to Northfolk building via the Surrey street entrance; others should take the main entrance and follow the signs.

Thursday, April 27th

Room K0.16 (King’s building, ground floor)
* 11:00-12:30, Masterclass by Richard Pettigrew, Lecture 1
* 2:00-3:30, Masterclass by Richard Pettigrew, Lecture 2
* 4:00-5:30, Guest talk, Jason Konek.

Friday April 28th

Room S3.40 (Strand building, 3rd floor)
* 11:00-12:30,Masterclass by Richard Pettigrew, Lecture 3.

Room S3.32 (Strand building, 3rd floor)
* 2:00-3:30,Masterclass by Richard Pettigrew,  Lecture 4.
* 4:00-5:30, Guest talk, Julien Dutant (joint work with Branden Fitelson)

Saturday April 29th

Room S3.32 (Strand building, 3rd floor)
* 11:00-12:30,Masterclass by Richard Pettigrew, Lecture 5.
* 2:00-3:30,Masterclass by Richard Pettigrew, Lecture 6.
* 4:00-5:30, Guest talk, Clayton Littlejohn

For further information contact Julien Dutant.