Back to results

Purdue University

The epistemology of enculturation

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>Is it irrational to believe something when that belief reflects the influence of one's culture or community? Some have argued that it is, especially when it comes to beliefs about controversial matters like religion, morality, and politics. I begin by situating the problem of cultural influence within the broader discussion surrounding irrelevant influences on our beliefs. After clarifying the way in which our beliefs are influenced by our cultures, I argue that neither the fact nor the recognition that one's belief has been influenced by one's culture is sufficient to render that belief unjustified or irrational.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Level thesis:degree_level
Dissertation
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Philosophy
Year
2016

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • White, Joshua D
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Michael Bergmann
  • Paul Draper
  • Patrick Kain
  • Matthias Steup

Subjects

dc:subject × 3

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:docs.lib.purdue.edu:open_access_dissertations-1894

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Purdue University
Base URL
docs.lib.purdue.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

White, Joshua D. The epistemology of enculturation. Dissertation thesis, 2016. https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_dissertations/727