Non-Hierarchical Authority Delegation
What is non-hierarchical authority delegation? How should it be defined?
When the authority over a certain topic is delegated to more than one expert, it is conceivable that sometimes the opinions of different experts can be given the same weight. In such cases, the delegation would be non-hierarchical. The question here is how the notion of non-hierarchical authority delegation is to be defined.
In the scientonomic context, this term was first used by Mirka Loiselle in 2017. The term is currently accepted by Scientonomy community.
In Scientonomy, the accepted definition of the term is:
- A sub-type of multiple authority delegation where different epistemic agents are delegated the same degree of authority over question x.
Contents
Scientonomic History
Acceptance Record
| Community | Accepted From | Acceptance Indicators | Still Accepted | Accepted Until | Rejection Indicators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientonomy | 19 May 2017 | The publication of the article by Loiselle titled Multiple Authority Delegation in Art Authentication is a good indication of acceptance of the question. | Yes |
All Theories
| Theory | Formulation | Formulated In |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hierarchical Authority Delegation (Loiselle-2017) | A sub-type of multiple authority delegation where different communities are delegated the same degree of authority over topic x. | 2017 |
| Non-Hierarchical Authority Delegation (Patton-2019) | A sub-type of multiple authority delegation where different epistemic agents are delegated the same degree of authority over question x. | 2019 |
Accepted Theories
| Community | Theory | Accepted From | Accepted Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scientonomy | Non-Hierarchical Authority Delegation (Loiselle-2017) | 23 October 2018 | 6 February 2023 |
| Scientonomy | Non-Hierarchical Authority Delegation (Patton-2019) | 6 February 2023 |
Suggested Modifications
| Modification | Community | Date Suggested | Summary | Verdict | Verdict Rationale | Date Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sciento-2017-0007 | Scientonomy | 19 May 2017 | Accept the definitions of the following subtypes of authority delegation: singular authority delegation, multiple authority delegation, hierarchical authority delegation, and non-hierarchical authority delegation. | Accepted | While the notions of singular and multiple authority delegation didn't cause much controversy, the notions of hierarchical and non-hierarchical authority delegation gave rise to notable disagreement among scientonomists. As a result, the modification was in discussion for about a year and a half.c1 Eventually, a consensus emerged mostly as a result of offline (in-person) discussion meetings. It was agreed that "for decisions that are not rote and routine, it seems highly unlikely that a pre-established hierarchy of authority delegation does or could exist, nor could a pre-established belief that all authorities should be given equal weight".c2 However, it was also agreed that Loiselle's study "have identified at least one aspect of hierarchical authority delegation in epistemic communities",c3 for "there seem to be instances where some experts occupy privileged positions in the eyes of those delegating authority" and that "alone is sufficient to suggest that hierarchies of authority delegation exists, regardless of of how transient or fixed they might be".c4 | 23 October 2018 |
| Sciento-2019-0017 | Scientonomy | 26 December 2019 | Accept the definitions of authority delegation, and its subtypes, that generalize the currently accepted definitions to apply to all epistemic agents, rather than only communities. | Accepted | The commentators found the modification uncontroversial.c1 c2 It was noted that the modification "merely attempts to capture what is already de facto accepted - namely, the idea that authority can be delegated by and to epistemic agents of all kinds (both communal and individual)" as indicated by the "fact that the canonical examples of authority delegation often involve individual experts (see, for example, Loiselle 2017)".c3 It was agreed that the modification "introduces a necessary rewording in the definitions of authority delegation and its species".c4 | 6 February 2023 |
Current Definition
In Scientonomy, the accepted definition of the term is Non-Hierarchical Authority Delegation (Patton-2019).
Non-Hierarchical Authority Delegation (Patton-2019) states: "A sub-type of multiple authority delegation where different epistemic agents are delegated the same degree of authority over question x."
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The definition tweaks the original definition of the term by Loiselle to ensure that the relationship of non-hierarchical authority delegation can obtain between epistemic agents of all types. It also substitutes question for topic, as the former is the proper scientonomic term that should be used.
Ontology
Existence
There is currently no accepted view concerning the existence of instances of non-hierarchical authority delegation.
Disjointness
No classes are currently accepted as being disjoint with this class.
Subtypes
No classes are currently accepted as subtypes of non-hierarchical authority delegation.
Supertypes
No classes are currently accepted as supertypes of non-hierarchical authority delegation.
Associations
No associations of non-hierarchical authority delegation are currently accepted.
If a question concerning the ontology of non-hierarchical authority delegation is missing, please add it here.
Dynamics
If a question concerning the dynamics of non-hierarchical authority delegation is missing, please add it here.
Related Topics
This term is also related to the following topic(s):
