Self-Trust: A Study of Reason, Knowledge, and Autonomy

Keith Lehrer offers an original philosophical view of principal aspects of the human condition, such as reason, knowledge, wisdom, autonomy, love, consensus, and consciousness. Three unifying ideas run through the book. The first is that what is uniquely human is the capacity for metamental ascent, the ability to consider and evaluate first-order mental states (such as beliefs and desires) that arise naturally within us. A primary function of this metamental ascent is the resolution of personal and interpersonal conflict, essential to such central human goods as wisdom, autonomy, and consensus. The second unifying idea is that we have a system for such reflective evaluation which yields acceptance (in relation to beliefs) or preference (in relation to the objects of desires). The third unifying idea is that there are `keystones' of evaluation in this system: loops of trustworthiness that are themselves supported by the structure that they hold together. Self-trust is the basis of our trustworthiness, on which reason, knowledge, and wisdom are grounded.

Review :
`This book is vintage Lehrer: probing, subtle, and deep. Building on many years of previous work, it is also mature and wise, with a nice balance wide-ranging intuitive perceptiveness with analytic penetration and precision. An outstanding feature of the book is the way in which it goes beyond the usual focus on knowledge and cognition to integrate questions of intellect and will, knowledge and wisdom, cognition and affection.' Professor Alvin Plantinga, University of Notre Dame, Indiana `In this splendid new book Keith Lehrer, one of our most distinguished epistemologists, journeys from the philosophy of knowledge to philosophical anthropology. This is a profound and intellectually refreshing work; it crosses the traditional divisions of philosophy and unifies the philosophy of knowledge, mind, and action.' Professor Risto Hilpinen, University of Turku, Finland, and University of Miami `Having earlier highlighted the concept of reflection in epistemology, Keith Lehrer now applies his insights into the metamental to an impressively broad set of further topics: autonomy, trustworthiness, evaluation, wisdom, and even love. A deeply insightful book that should intrigue and enlighten brilliantly and widely.' Professor Ernest Sosa, Brown University `Lehrer's book is characterized by a fascinating new perspective on our ways to know and to love something; it is full of new ideas, centred on the key concepts "trust" and "self-trust". It is without any doubt an important book, original and ingenious.' Professor Rudolf Haller, University of Graz, Austria `Significant contribution to the literature on autonomy and related matters.' Times Literary Supplement