By Schubert Ogden
The Notebooks of Schubert Ogden
One is the bearer of authority de jure over certain subjects in a certain domain by reason either of one's knowledge or competence in that domain—in the case of "epistemic," or, more generally, "nonexecutive," authority—or of one's holding, and being competent to hold, some office or position with respect to the domain—in the case of "deontic," "moral," or "executive" authority.
Thus to know something—either to know that or about something or to know how something—is eo ipso to bear authority de jure (whether or not also de facto) by reason of one's knowledge. Similarly, to hold a certain office or position, and to have the competence to exercise its rights and responsibilities, is eo ipso to bear authority de jure (whether or not also de facto) by reason of one's office or position.
If having deontic authority means that one has the right and the responsibility to give instructions (so Bochenski: 45), may one not say, mutatis mutandis, that having epistemic authority means that one has the right and the responsibility to assert propositions, practical as well as theoretical?
10 July 1996 ; rev. 4 July 2006
Overview
Content Tools