Trust without shared belief: Pluralist realism and polar bear conservation

• Published in: Perspectives on Science
• Other Authors: Fellows, Jennifer J. (fellowsj) (Author), (Author)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: Arctic; inuit
• Online Access: https://arcabc.ca/islandora/object/dc%3A52252; https://doi.org/10.1162/POSC_a_00234

Trust-building has implicitly been characterized in epistemology as necessitating the adoption of shared belief. If this is so, such models of trust-building appear at odds with a metaphysical commitment to pluralist realism. In this article I offer the first steps in modeling how a pluralist realist might understand trust building. I argue that entertaining pluralist realism as a possibility may actually be more fruitful for trust building than a monist conception because each side is given an important concession: the possibility that their knowledge claims might be correct. The case of polar bear conservation in the Canadian arctic illustrates that trust-building without shared belief is possible. I wish the members of these round-table discussions success in the future. Peer reviewed Final article published. Inuit trust environment polar bear Indigenous knowledge pluralist realism social epistemology