Deference in politics is often necessary. Political issues are highly complex, and it would be too demanding to expect citizens to responsibly investigate every issue themselves. At the same time, it is important that citizens be well-informed for democracy to flourish. Deferring to trusted experts and co-partisans appears to offer a way for citizens to discharge their epistemic and political obligations. Yet, some worry that deference threatens to undermine autonomy and democratic legitimacy while leaving citizens liable to manipulation by elites. The ability to defer well may also require a great deal of knowledge, and hence would presuppose a solution to the very problem it aims to solve. How can everyday citizens navigate these tensions when forming political opinions? More generally, how should citizens form their political beliefs? This conference will investigate issues related to political deference, partisanship, and the epistemic obligations of citizens in a democracy. Learn more here.
LOCATION:TBD STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART:20230324T173000Z DTEND:20230325T170000Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR