Robin McKenna
@rbnmckenna.bsky.social
Scottish philosopher at the University of Liverpool. Likes to do philosophy by reading about things that are more interesting than philosophy. Some sort of social epistemologist.
https://robinmckenna.weebly.com/
https://robinmckenna.weebly.com/
Chris Ranalli and I have a new paper in the International Journal for the Study of Skepticism. We argue that philosophical scepticism need not lead to political conservatism. We also suggest that scepticism may support an anti-political stance that is worth cultivating.
brill.com/view/journal...
brill.com/view/journal...
brill.com
October 31, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Chris Ranalli and I have a new paper in the International Journal for the Study of Skepticism. We argue that philosophical scepticism need not lead to political conservatism. We also suggest that scepticism may support an anti-political stance that is worth cultivating.
brill.com/view/journal...
brill.com/view/journal...
Very happy to see this out. It's a critical piece with @martinkusch.bsky.social on one of my very favourite philosophers, Hilary Kornblith. Published in a new book, Kornblith and His Critics, edited by Josh DiPaolo and Luis Oliveira.
doi.org/10.1002/9781...
doi.org/10.1002/9781...
Kornblith, Naturalism, Relativism
Three core commitments run through Kornblith's work in epistemology. First, epistemologists should investigate knowledge itself rather than the concept of knowledge. Second, knowledge is a natural ki...
doi.org
October 9, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Very happy to see this out. It's a critical piece with @martinkusch.bsky.social on one of my very favourite philosophers, Hilary Kornblith. Published in a new book, Kornblith and His Critics, edited by Josh DiPaolo and Luis Oliveira.
doi.org/10.1002/9781...
doi.org/10.1002/9781...
Reposted by Robin McKenna
We have nothing to worry about from AI's hyper-persuasiveness...as long as we're truly masters of our own beliefs, the claims of social epistemology are wrong, and we can fully understand how & why models are influencing us. In other words, it's an issue. Great new @rbnmckenna.bsky.social article.
Robin McKenna, Sophistry on Steroids? The Ethics, Epistemology and Politics of Persuasive AI - PhilPapers
This paper examines the ethical, epistemological, and political implications of persuasive AI technologies. Recent research suggests that AI is roughly as persuasive as humans in many contexts. Should...
philpapers.org
September 30, 2025 at 1:39 PM
We have nothing to worry about from AI's hyper-persuasiveness...as long as we're truly masters of our own beliefs, the claims of social epistemology are wrong, and we can fully understand how & why models are influencing us. In other words, it's an issue. Great new @rbnmckenna.bsky.social article.
Reposted by Robin McKenna
Just got an email from a scam academic journal asking if I wanted to "explore new advances in White Psychodrama" and it's just got me like: buddy, I can watch the news myself.
September 22, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Just got an email from a scam academic journal asking if I wanted to "explore new advances in White Psychodrama" and it's just got me like: buddy, I can watch the news myself.
Available open access: a new paper arguing that, even though persuasive AI technologies won't destroy the world, we should be worried about them.
doi.org/10.1007/s001...
doi.org/10.1007/s001...
Sophistry on steroids? The ethics, epistemology and politics of persuasive AI - AI & SOCIETY
This paper examines the ethical, epistemological, and political implications of persuasive AI technologies. Recent research suggests that AI is roughly as persuasive as humans in many contexts. Should...
doi.org
September 22, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Available open access: a new paper arguing that, even though persuasive AI technologies won't destroy the world, we should be worried about them.
doi.org/10.1007/s001...
doi.org/10.1007/s001...
Reposted by Robin McKenna
New paper w/Chris Ranalli explaining why I don't think there need be a close connection between skepticism and political conservatism. It's a critical discussion of a new book, Jonathan Ichikawa's Epistemic Courage, but we sketch our favored form of skepticism at the end.
philpapers.org/rec/MCKSAC-4
philpapers.org/rec/MCKSAC-4
Robin McKenna & Christopher Ranalli, Skepticism and Conservatism - PhilPapers
In his excellent new book Epistemic Courage Jonathan Ichikawa argues that epistemology evinces a bias towards the skeptical. In its most extreme forms (i.e. radical skepticism), this leads to complete...
philpapers.org
September 15, 2025 at 12:30 PM
New paper w/Chris Ranalli explaining why I don't think there need be a close connection between skepticism and political conservatism. It's a critical discussion of a new book, Jonathan Ichikawa's Epistemic Courage, but we sketch our favored form of skepticism at the end.
philpapers.org/rec/MCKSAC-4
philpapers.org/rec/MCKSAC-4
Reposted by Robin McKenna
New paper in AI & Society on why we should be worried about persuasive AI technologies even if you are, like me, sceptical that we are about to enter a world of AI "hyper-persuasion".
philpapers.org/rec/MCKSOS-2
philpapers.org/rec/MCKSOS-2
Robin McKenna, Sophistry on Steroids? The Ethics, Epistemology and Politics of Persuasive AI - PhilPapers
This paper examines the ethical, epistemological, and political implications of persuasive AI technologies. Recent research suggests that AI is roughly as persuasive as humans in many contexts. Should...
philpapers.org
September 9, 2025 at 7:58 PM
New paper in AI & Society on why we should be worried about persuasive AI technologies even if you are, like me, sceptical that we are about to enter a world of AI "hyper-persuasion".
philpapers.org/rec/MCKSOS-2
philpapers.org/rec/MCKSOS-2
New paper in AI & Society on why we should be worried about persuasive AI technologies even if you are, like me, sceptical that we are about to enter a world of AI "hyper-persuasion".
philpapers.org/rec/MCKSOS-2
philpapers.org/rec/MCKSOS-2
Robin McKenna, Sophistry on Steroids? The Ethics, Epistemology and Politics of Persuasive AI - PhilPapers
This paper examines the ethical, epistemological, and political implications of persuasive AI technologies. Recent research suggests that AI is roughly as persuasive as humans in many contexts. Should...
philpapers.org
September 9, 2025 at 7:58 PM
New paper in AI & Society on why we should be worried about persuasive AI technologies even if you are, like me, sceptical that we are about to enter a world of AI "hyper-persuasion".
philpapers.org/rec/MCKSOS-2
philpapers.org/rec/MCKSOS-2
Reposted by Robin McKenna
it's a common mistake but actually Dr Frankenstein was the monster
September 1, 2025 at 2:31 AM
it's a common mistake but actually Dr Frankenstein was the monster
Short Substack post where I explain why selective cynicism--something you see quite often on the social media feeds of heterodox academics--really annoys me.
open.substack.com/pub/rbnmcken...
open.substack.com/pub/rbnmcken...
Against Selective Cynicism
It won’t surprise readers of this Substack to learn that I am, at heart, a cynic and a pessimist.
open.substack.com
August 20, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Short Substack post where I explain why selective cynicism--something you see quite often on the social media feeds of heterodox academics--really annoys me.
open.substack.com/pub/rbnmcken...
open.substack.com/pub/rbnmcken...
New Substack post where I talk some more about my current obsession: propaganda. This is a review of a book that I very strongly recommend, Cory Wimberly's How Propaganda Became Public Relations: Foucault and the Corporate Governance of the Public.
open.substack.com/pub/rbnmcken...
open.substack.com/pub/rbnmcken...
The Manufacture of Subjects
A Review of Cory Wimberly's How Propaganda Became Public Relations
open.substack.com
August 13, 2025 at 10:21 AM
New Substack post where I talk some more about my current obsession: propaganda. This is a review of a book that I very strongly recommend, Cory Wimberly's How Propaganda Became Public Relations: Foucault and the Corporate Governance of the Public.
open.substack.com/pub/rbnmcken...
open.substack.com/pub/rbnmcken...
The International Journal of Philosophical Studies were kind enough to do a special issue on my book (really a hybrid: articles on ideal and non-ideal epistemology plus some critical commentaries). Thanks to everyone who contributed for making it a fantastic collection.
philpapers.org/rec/MCKIAN
philpapers.org/rec/MCKIAN
Robin McKenna & Gerry Dunne, Ideal and Non-Ideal Theory in Epistemology - PhilPapers
This is the editors' introduction to a special issue on Ideal and Non-Ideal Theory in Epistemology in the International Journal of Philosophical Studies.
philpapers.org
August 7, 2025 at 10:03 AM
The International Journal of Philosophical Studies were kind enough to do a special issue on my book (really a hybrid: articles on ideal and non-ideal epistemology plus some critical commentaries). Thanks to everyone who contributed for making it a fantastic collection.
philpapers.org/rec/MCKIAN
philpapers.org/rec/MCKIAN
Reposted by Robin McKenna
Don't mind Robin, his book is great, and we (Nastja, Nora, and I) wouldn't have been able to make these criticisms without Robin's groundwork!
Good criticisms of my book on Non-Ideal Epistemology in this critical notice in Analysis. I've come to agree with a lot of the criticisms in here, so if someone wants to write a better book that does all these things please do.
academic.oup.com/analysis/adv...
academic.oup.com/analysis/adv...
Non-ideal enough?
In recent years, the traditional outlook and methods of analytic epistemology with its thought experiments, Gettierology and definition-mongering have beco
academic.oup.com
July 31, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Don't mind Robin, his book is great, and we (Nastja, Nora, and I) wouldn't have been able to make these criticisms without Robin's groundwork!
Good criticisms of my book on Non-Ideal Epistemology in this critical notice in Analysis. I've come to agree with a lot of the criticisms in here, so if someone wants to write a better book that does all these things please do.
academic.oup.com/analysis/adv...
academic.oup.com/analysis/adv...
Non-ideal enough?
In recent years, the traditional outlook and methods of analytic epistemology with its thought experiments, Gettierology and definition-mongering have beco
academic.oup.com
July 30, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Good criticisms of my book on Non-Ideal Epistemology in this critical notice in Analysis. I've come to agree with a lot of the criticisms in here, so if someone wants to write a better book that does all these things please do.
academic.oup.com/analysis/adv...
academic.oup.com/analysis/adv...
Reposted by Robin McKenna
Haven't had a chance to read this double review-essay from @catsaintcroix.bsky.social on Greco and @rbnmckenna.bsky.social's books on idealisation in epistemology yet, but it looks really interesting
Catharine Saint-Croix, Greco (2023) _Idealization in Epistemology_ and McKenna (2023) _Non-Ideal Epistemology_ - PhilPapers
Epistemology is rife with idealization. And, although concern about particular idealizations—logical omniscience, infinite iterations of common knowledge, and so on—is long-standing, systematic metaep...
philpapers.org
July 29, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Haven't had a chance to read this double review-essay from @catsaintcroix.bsky.social on Greco and @rbnmckenna.bsky.social's books on idealisation in epistemology yet, but it looks really interesting
I'm teaching a class on Philosophy and Social Change in september. It will look at different theories of and responses to social change: conservative, liberal, radical. But I'm really struggling for readings that are (a) accessible (b) high quality. Any suggestions?
July 18, 2025 at 10:14 AM
I'm teaching a class on Philosophy and Social Change in september. It will look at different theories of and responses to social change: conservative, liberal, radical. But I'm really struggling for readings that are (a) accessible (b) high quality. Any suggestions?
Reposted by Robin McKenna
I don't UCU post much now but I'll do one about pay for a sec, as IMV we're headed towards a predictable fail state unless people get realistic, and quick.
1. the UCEA pay offer is comically bad
2. Going out in fall on "pay" is a terrible idea
3. Go out on saving jobs and saving the sector instead
1. the UCEA pay offer is comically bad
2. Going out in fall on "pay" is a terrible idea
3. Go out on saving jobs and saving the sector instead
July 17, 2025 at 9:05 AM
I don't UCU post much now but I'll do one about pay for a sec, as IMV we're headed towards a predictable fail state unless people get realistic, and quick.
1. the UCEA pay offer is comically bad
2. Going out in fall on "pay" is a terrible idea
3. Go out on saving jobs and saving the sector instead
1. the UCEA pay offer is comically bad
2. Going out in fall on "pay" is a terrible idea
3. Go out on saving jobs and saving the sector instead
I wrote about epistemic trespassing and why it is bad for my Substack. Tl;dr: it is tempting to talk about it as a moral failing but I think it is often more helpful to view trespassing behaviour as a rational response to bad incentives.
rbnmckenna86.substack.com/p/what-is-wr...
rbnmckenna86.substack.com/p/what-is-wr...
What Is Wrong with Epistemic Trespassing?
Epistemic Trespassing and the Division of Cognitive Labour
rbnmckenna86.substack.com
July 9, 2025 at 8:12 PM
I wrote about epistemic trespassing and why it is bad for my Substack. Tl;dr: it is tempting to talk about it as a moral failing but I think it is often more helpful to view trespassing behaviour as a rational response to bad incentives.
rbnmckenna86.substack.com/p/what-is-wr...
rbnmckenna86.substack.com/p/what-is-wr...
A combination of things I have read for fun and read for work this year so far (ok some of the work ones were also fun).
open.substack.com/pub/rbnmcken...
open.substack.com/pub/rbnmcken...
2025 Reading
What I've read, what I've liked, what I would recommend
open.substack.com
June 27, 2025 at 5:48 PM
A combination of things I have read for fun and read for work this year so far (ok some of the work ones were also fun).
open.substack.com/pub/rbnmcken...
open.substack.com/pub/rbnmcken...
Reposted by Robin McKenna
I often find it hard to explain at parties what I do; I really like Robin McKenna’s elaboration here of what epistemologists do. Moral epistemology seems to open a whole other bag of worms at parties, though.
Me on what epistemology is, what I do, and why I'm not very much fun at parties.
[Note: I did not choose the picture or headline]
open.substack.com/pub/therepub...
[Note: I did not choose the picture or headline]
open.substack.com/pub/therepub...
Boo Ya, Says The Epistemological Philosopher
Robin McKenna on Why He Crushes It at Parties
open.substack.com
June 22, 2025 at 3:46 PM
I often find it hard to explain at parties what I do; I really like Robin McKenna’s elaboration here of what epistemologists do. Moral epistemology seems to open a whole other bag of worms at parties, though.
Reposted by Robin McKenna
My friend and colleague Remco Heesen once told me study of social epistemology of science made him "less trusting of any particular scientific paper but more impressed by science as a whole." I honestly think that's the right lesson to draw. But I think holding both attitudes doesn't come naturally.
The most important thing about science the public needs to remember is that the set of experimental and theoretical methods we refer to as "science" is the best, most reliable way of knowing we currently have.
It's rough around the edges but it works way better than anything else.
It's rough around the edges but it works way better than anything else.
Watching people not realize this about his work, and then seeing it weaponized against climate policy, sent poor old Bruno Latour into a full-blown case of abyss gaze.
June 24, 2025 at 5:38 AM
My friend and colleague Remco Heesen once told me study of social epistemology of science made him "less trusting of any particular scientific paper but more impressed by science as a whole." I honestly think that's the right lesson to draw. But I think holding both attitudes doesn't come naturally.
Reposted by Robin McKenna
This is so stupid I think I am at risk of a seizure thinking about it.
I know it's an ableist slur to call someone 'mental'.
So we should just call this what it is: fucking stupid
So we should just call this what it is: fucking stupid
June 21, 2025 at 9:54 AM
This is so stupid I think I am at risk of a seizure thinking about it.
Me on what epistemology is, what I do, and why I'm not very much fun at parties.
[Note: I did not choose the picture or headline]
open.substack.com/pub/therepub...
[Note: I did not choose the picture or headline]
open.substack.com/pub/therepub...
Boo Ya, Says The Epistemological Philosopher
Robin McKenna on Why He Crushes It at Parties
open.substack.com
June 21, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Me on what epistemology is, what I do, and why I'm not very much fun at parties.
[Note: I did not choose the picture or headline]
open.substack.com/pub/therepub...
[Note: I did not choose the picture or headline]
open.substack.com/pub/therepub...