NOTE: I did not actually present this paper because I had to withdraw from the conference for financial reasons.
ABSTRACT:
When confronted by disagreement on some issue with an epistemic peer, to what extent should one modify one’s beliefs? It depends on how central the belief is in one’s belief-system. Whether one ought to hold or modify a belief depends on the epistemic values promoted by the holding or modification of that belief. In the case of central beliefs, the epistemic values of coherence and of ability to engage in productive inquiry, both individually and collectively, tell especially heavily in favor of maintaining one’s belief in the face of disagreement. Consequently, evidence or probability is not the only consideration in deciding whether or modify one’s belief.
