Session 8 | MLAG Seminars Series 2025-2026 (28 May, 14h30, Online)

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May 21, 2026, 11:06:32 AMMay 21

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MLAG Seminars Series 2025-2026

Session 8

Metaphysics of Knowledge: A Case Study

| Martin Kusch (University of Vienna)

28 May 2026 | 14h30 | Online

Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto

The Mind, Language and Action Group (MLAG), a research group of the Institute of Philosophy at the University of Porto, invites you to the eighth talk of the new MLAG Seminar Series featuring presentations by international researchers on topics of interest to the group.

The talk, given by Martin Kusch (University of Vienna) and entitled "Metaphysics of Knowledge: A Case Study", will take place on May 28, 14:30 Western European Time (WET).

ONLINE | LINK MICROSOFT TEAMS

Meeting ID: 364 337 609 554 766
Password: mn3rL6QW

Abstract: Hilary Kornblith defends the thesis that knowledge is a natural kind like aluminium: knowledge is attributed to animals by cognitive ethologists; cognitive ethology is a natural science; and it needs the category of knowledge (qua reliably formed belief) to achieve its explanatory and predictive goals. -- Robin McKenna and I have argued that Kornblith owes us an argument for why we should take our lead from cognitive ethology rather than, say, from the sociology of knowledge. Kornblith has replied that as far as the understanding of knowledge is concerned, the sociology of knowledge likely depends upon the results of cognitive ethology. -- In this paper, I offer a detailed investigation into the metaphysics of knowledge of the sociology of knowledge. I seek to identify what is problematic about this metaphysics, and suggest how it might be improved to block Kornblith's quick dismissal.

MLAG Seminars Series 2025-2026: https://ifilosofia.up.pt/activities/mlag-seminars-series-2025-2026

Information about MLAG can be found here: https://ifilosofia.up.pt/research-groups/mlag

To contact the organisers, please send an email to mlag....@gmail.com

Organisation:
Sofia Miguens (MLAG-IF)
Dan Zeman (MLAG-IF)
James Grayot (MLAG-IF)
Rafael Antunes Padilha (MLAG-IF|IFCH-UNICAMP)
Samuel Lima (FLUP)
João Carlos Rocha Lima (FLUP)

RG Mind, Language and Action Group (MLAG)
Instituto de Filosofia da Universidade do Porto – UID/00502/2025
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)

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Instituto de Filosofia (UI&D 502)
Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto
Via Panorâmica s/n
4150-564 Porto
Tel. 22 607 71 80
E-mail: ifilo...@letras.up.pt
http://ifilosofia.up.pt/