PRESENTATION

Background

There are a number of ways in which one can try to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge. For instance, one can write books that other people will read and acquire knowledge from. Also, one can give money to scholarship funds so that other people will be able to attend school and acquire knowledge there. However, information professionals typically try to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge in one particular way (namely, they disseminate information). So, within LIS, the question for social epistemologists is how to disseminate information so as to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge.

Social epistemology, however, is not a unified discipline. There are a number of very different theoretical positions within social epistemology. For example, different theorists often define the term “knowledge” in different ways. This assignment requires you to investigate in detail one of the many theories of social epistemology and to apply that theory to LIS.

The Assignment

Note: Ideally, you should choose a theorist that we have not looked at extensively in class.  However, if you do want to choose a theorist that we have already looked at, you should focus on features of that theorist's position that we have not looked at extensively.

Note: When choosing a theorist, you should keep in mind that theorists that do social epistemology do not always actually use the term “social epistemology” to describe what they do.

Note: Whether or not a particular a practice is epistemically beneficial may depend on the particular epistemic objectives that we have.  So, for example, you will need to say exactly how the particular theorist that you have chosen defines the term “knowledge.”  You should also say why information professionals should be in the business of facilitating the acquisition of this particular type of knowledge.

Second, you need to choose an existing––or propose a new––practice for LIS.  For example, you could choose electronic publishing of scientific journals, inter-library loan (ILL), filters on Internet terminals in libraries, etc.

Note: A practice is a just particular way of doing things.  And, generally speaking, it will probably be better for you to choose a practice that is fairly specific.  For example, you could look at the epistemic consequences of simply implementing ILL or electronic publishing at all.  However, it will probably be more interesting for you to look at the epistemic consequences of, for example, implementing ILL in a particular way.

Note: Be sure to choose a practice that is not explicitly discussed in detail by your theorist.

Third, you need to evaluate this practice in terms of the theoretical position that you have chosen to discuss. For example, suppose that you choose Goldman as your theorist and that you choose the practice of electronic publishing of scientific journals. According to Goldman, the proper goal of social epistemology is to figure out how to promote true belief.  Thus, you would want to determine whether or not electronic publishing promotes true belief.  What are the epistemic benefits and epistemic costs of this practice?  Does this practice promote true belief on the part of researchers?  Also, does this practice promote true belief on the part of the rest of society?

Note: In discussing the epistemic benefits and costs of this practice, you must stay within the legitimate domain of the social epistemologist and restrict the discussion to epistemic considerations. For example, you should avoid discussing the ethical or economic impact of the practice. Such considerations will be crucial when we are actually deciding whether or not to implement this practice.  However, such considerations will only be of interest to us qua social epistemologists in so far as they have impact on the epistemic costs and benefits of the practice.  There is a division of labor here.  It is the job of the economist to determine what the economic consequences of implementing a practice are likely to be; it is the job of the epistemologist to determine what the epistemic consequences of implementing a practice are likely to be.

The Details

As part of developing your presentation, you will give a brief (5 to 10 minute) proposal to the class during the second weekend session (October 20th and 21st).  In particular, you will describe the topic/question that your online presentation will address and what the methodology will be.  The rest of class and I will then offer feedback that should be factored into the final online presentation.

The final online presentations will be hosted on WebCT. You should think of your presentation as your own virtual lecture. Among other things, this means that you should respond to questions and comments about your presentation. In fact, as part of the presentation grade, you must post a question or a comment about at least three of the other presentations.  (A discussion forum has already been created for each presentation.)

You will need to get my approval on your topic ahead of time.

The presentations will be posted in the "Presentations" area.  (Web space for each of your presentations has already been created.)  Each of you will post your presentation on a different day. The presentation must be posted by midnight MST on the designated day. Thus, the rest of the class will be able to access your presentation on the following day.

You can sign up for any of the following dates: November 12, November 14, November 19, November 26, November 28,  December 3.  Send me a message via WebCT Mail with at least a couple of possible dates.  I will try to accommodate everyone's preferences as well as I can.

Contact Shelly Drumm if you have any technical problems posting your presentation to WebCT.

Please send me questions about this assignment via the "Presentation Questions" forum or via my WebCT Mail.