Why We Need Epistemic Rights

Abstract

The starting point of this chapter is the deepening divisions within our societies, which derive from both internal and external forces. As democracy is, by definition, the rule of the people, its basic requirement is equality in the act of ruling: in order for there to be equality in decision-making, people should share the same information and knowledge and understand the value and significance of this knowledge. In this chapter, the concept of epistemic rights is introduced. Epistemic rights refer to the requirement that society should guarantee that truthful information and knowledge are made available to all its citizens and that they have the competence to use these for their own benefit and that of society as a whole. As background, the chapter offers a short historical review of the communication rights movement, which can be seen as paving the way for epistemic rights. The conclusion articulates the need for further investigation of epistemic institutions and their role in democracy.