Knowledge and Lotteries

Organized around an epistemological puzzle: in many cases, we seem inclined to deny that we know certain propositions, while crediting ourselves with knowledge of propositions that imply them. This work examines the competing merits of candidate solutions, addressing a range of questions concerning the nature and importance of knowledge.

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Knowledge and Lotteries is organized around an epistemological puzzle: in many cases, we seem consistently inclined to deny that we know certain propositions, while crediting ourselves with knowledge of propositions that imply them. In its starkest form, the puzzle is this: we do not think we know that a given lottery ticket will be a loser, yet we normally count ourselves as knowing all sorts of things which entail that its holder will not suddenly acquire a large fortune. After providing a number of specific and general characterizations of the puzzle, Hawthorne carefully examines the competing merits of candidate solutions, addressing along the way a range of central questions concerning the nature and importance of knowledge.