Trust Me, Not Them: A Critical Look
April 2 @ 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
$10
Featuring Will Conner, Teaching Assistant Professor of Philosophy
Have you ever been told not to trust what others might say about a topic before they even say it—for instance, when a politician claims, “The media will tell you I’m wrong, but they’re biased and untrustworthy”? This strategy attempts to preemptively discredit evidence before you’ve even encountered it. While preemptive warnings might sometimes be justified (after all, some sources really are untrustworthy), they are also used to shield false beliefs from legitimate criticism. This talk will investigate when it’s reasonable to trust someone who tells us to ignore future evidence, arguing that while these warnings can give us some reason to be skeptical of contrary views, these reasons can be outweighed if we discover independent evidence that the discredited source is actually reliable after all. Understanding this will help us learn how to better navigate our complex information environment where preemptive warnings are commonplace.
DETAILS
Cost: $10; $5 with a Carolina Alumni Membership discount
Date and Time: Wednesday, April 2, 2025 | 4:30-6:00 PM
Location: Flyleaf Books
Registration is available in advance or at the door.
DISCOUNTS
Advance registrants can take advantage of our FLYLEAF SERIES PASS and receive a discount on the purchase of all seven lectures.
Tuition for virtual viewing is free for K-12 teachers. If you are a current K-12 teacher, email carolinak12@unc.edu with your name and school to receive a free registration code. Teacher registration closes at 2pm on the day of the event.
Visit Carolina Alumni for information about membership. All Carolina Alumni members receive a discount to Humanities in Action events.
We thank Carolina Alumni for its generous support of this series.
