Modification:Sciento-2019-0017

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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.

The modification was suggested to Scientonomy community by Paul Patton on 26 December 2019.1 The modification was accepted on 6 February 2023.

Preamble

The current scientonomic definition of authority delegation, formulated by Nicholas Overgaard and Mirka Loiselle, characterizes it as a relationship between communities.2 However, Loiselle's own examples of authority delegation in the community of art experts make it clear that an individual can be the subject of authority delegation.3 Similarly, it is safe to assume that authority delegation to individuals is likely to be ubiquitous in many fields of inquiry, especially within individual scientific labs.1 While the gist of the Overgaard and Loiselle's definition requires no alteration, the definition needs to be changed to ensure that it's applicable not only to communities but also to individuals. To that end, epistemic agent should be substituted for community in the definition of authority delegation as well as the definitions of all subtypes of authority delegation. Also, question should be substituted for topic, as the former is the proper scientonomic category here.4

Modification

Theories To Accept

  • Multiple Authority Delegation (Patton-2019): Epistemic agent A is said to engage in a relationship of multiple authority delegation over question x iff A delegates authority over question x to more than one epistemic agent.

Multiple Authority Delegation (Patton-2019).png

  • Mutual Authority Delegation (Patton-2019): Epistemic agents A and B are said to be in a relationship of mutual authority delegation iff A delegates authority over question x to B, and B delegates authority over question y to A.

Mutual Authority Delegation (Patton-2019).png

  • Authority Delegation (Patton-2019): Epistemic agent A is said to be delegating authority over question x to epistemic agent B iff (1) agent A accepts that agent B is an expert on question x and (2) agent A will accept a theory answering question x if agent B says so.

Authority Delegation (Patton-2019).png

  • One-sided Authority Delegation (Patton-2019): Epistemic agents A and B are said to be in a relationship of one-sided authority delegation iff A delegates authority over question x to B, but B doesn’t delegate any authority to A.

One-Sided Authority Delegation (Patton-2019).png

  • Singular Authority Delegation (Patton-2019): Epistemic agent A is said to engage in a relationship of singular authority delegation over question x iff A delegates authority over question x to exactly one epistemic agent.

Singular Authority Delegation (Patton-2019).png

Hierarchical Authority Delegation (Patton-2019).png

Non-Hierarchical Authority Delegation (Patton-2019).png

Theories To Reject

Questions Answered

This modification attempts to answer the following question(s):

Verdict

The modification was accepted on 6 February 2023. 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

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References

  1. a b  Patton, Paul. (2019) Epistemic Tools and Epistemic Agents in Scientonomy. Scientonomy 3, 63-89. Retrieved from https://scientojournal.com/index.php/scientonomy/article/view/33621.
  2. ^  Overgaard, Nicholas and Loiselle, Mirka. (2016) Authority Delegation. Scientonomy 1, 11-18. Retrieved from https://www.scientojournal.com/index.php/scientonomy/article/view/27065.
  3. ^  Loiselle, Mirka. (2017) Multiple Authority Delegation in Art Authentication. Scientonomy 1, 41-53. Retrieved from https://www.scientojournal.com/index.php/scientonomy/article/view/28233.
  4. ^  Rawleigh, William. (2018) The Status of Questions in the Ontology of Scientific Change. Scientonomy 2, 1-12. Retrieved from https://scientojournal.com/index.php/scientonomy/article/view/29651.