Hilary Kornblith

Career and Education

Hilary Kornblith earned his Ph.D. in philosophy from [[Cornell University]] in 1979. He subsequently joined the faculty at the [[University of Vermont]] before moving to the [[University of Massachusetts Amherst]], where he spent the majority of his distinguished career. He is currently a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Philosophical Work

Kornblith's work is characterized by a consistent commitment to bridging the gap between philosophy and the natural sciences, particularly cognitive science and psychology. He challenges traditional, a priori approaches to epistemology, insisting that a robust theory of knowledge must be empirically informed by how human beings actually acquire and process information.

Naturalized Epistemology

Kornblith is best known for his advocacy and articulation of [[naturalized epistemology]]. His influential book, ''[[Knowledge and its Place in Nature]]'' (2002), argues forcefully that epistemology should be understood as a branch of natural science. In this view, knowledge is not merely a conceptual construct to be analyzed logically, but a natural phenomenon that requires empirical investigation into the reliable cognitive processes that produce true beliefs. He champions an [[externalism (epistemology)|externalist]] perspective on knowledge and justification, emphasizing the reliability of cognitive mechanisms rather than internal access to justification. He contends that philosophical analysis of concepts like knowledge and justification must be constrained and informed by scientific understanding of human cognition and its evolutionary origins.

Other Contributions

Beyond his core work in epistemology, Kornblith has also made significant contributions to the [[philosophy of mind]], engaging with questions about [[consciousness]], [[intentionality]], and the implications of neuroscientific research for our understanding of mental states. His work often touches upon broader methodological questions regarding the relationship between philosophy and science, and he has defended forms of [[scientific realism]]. He has also served as the editor for several editions of ''[[Naturalizing Epistemology]]'', a widely used anthology of key texts in the field.

Selected Publications

• ''[[Inductive Inference and Its Natural Ground]]'' (MIT Press, 1993)
• ''[[Knowledge and Its Place in Nature]]'' (Oxford University Press, 2002)
• ''[[The Natural Mind]]'' (Oxford University Press, 2012)
• Editor of ''[[Naturalizing Epistemology]]'' (MIT Press, 1st ed. 1985; 2nd ed. 1994; 3rd ed. 2012)

See Also

• [[Epistemology]]
• [[Naturalized epistemology]]
• [[Externalism (epistemology)]]
• [[Philosophy of mind]]
• [[Quine, Willard Van Orman]]