Synopses & Reviews
Trust is indispensable to our everyday lives, yet it can be dangerous. Without trusting others, we cannot function in society, or even stay alive for very long, but being overly trustful can leave us open to exploitation and abuse. And not only is trust pragmatic, but it also has a moral dimension: trustworthiness is a virtue, and well-placed trust benefits us all. In this Very Short Introduction, philosopher Katherine Hawley explores the key ideas about trust and distrust. Drawing on a wide range of disciplines, including philosophy, psychology, and evolutionary biology, she emphasizes the nature and importance of trusting and being trusted, from our intimate bonds with significant others to our relationship with the state. Considering questions such as "Why do we value trust?" and "Why do we want to be trusted rather than distrusted?" Hawley illuminates the importance of trust in the personal and public spheres. Moreover, she draws on a range of research to show how trust stands at the center of many disciplines, including biology, psychology, and game theory. The book also examines the evolutionary aspects of trust.
Synopsis
Trust is indispensable, yet it can be dangerous. Without trusting others, we cannot function in society, or even stay alive for very long, but being overly-trustful can be a bad strategy too. Trust is pragmatic, but it also has a moral dimension: trustworthiness is a virtue, and well-placed trust benefits us all.
In this Very Short Introduction, Katherine Hawley explores the key ideas about trust and distrust. Considerings questions such as 'Why do we value trust?' and Why do we want to be trusted rather than distrusted?', Hawley raises issues about the importance of trust in both the personal and public spheres, including family and relationships as well as politics and society.
About the Author
Katherine Hawley is Professor of Philosophy at the University of St Andrews and Head of the School of Philosophical, Anthropological and Film Studies. She is the author of
How Things Persist (OUP, 2001) and co-editor of
Philosophy of Science Today (with Peter Clark, OUP, 2003).
Table of Contents
Prologue: Trust and distrust at the breakfast table 1. What are trust and distrust?
2. Why trust and trustworthiness matter
3. Evolving trust and cooperation
4. Take the money and run
5. Honesty and dishonesty
6. Knowledge and expertise
7. Trust on the internet
8. Institutions, conspiracies, and nations
Afterword: The importance of being trustworthy
References
Further reading