Choice Group Seminar: PhD Session with Bele and Kangyu

Special PhD Session including two talks!

What makes life meaningful?
Speaker: Kangyu Wang, PhD student at LSE Philosophy

Abstract: What, if anything, gives rise to the meaning of life? I aim to propose a novel subjectivist answer, which I shall call meaning-in-deed. I will, after introducing the background, proceed as follows: first, I explain meaning-in-deed and clarify some crucial points. I then demonstrate its superiority by comparing it with Wolf’s very influential and attractive theory, which I call meaning-in-love. Finally, I show how my conception can avoid some more general problems of the existing variants of subjectivism.

Title: The Condorcet Jury Theorem under Ambiguity
Speaker: Bele Wollesen, PhD student at LSE Philosophy

Abstract: The Condorcet Jury Theorem serves as powerful evidence of the epistemic merits of the majority rule. The classical theorem assumes voter competence i.e., that every voter is more likely than a coin flip to vote for the correct option. In this talk I am arguing that we cannot assume voter competence in a world where rational agents’ attitudes may be best described by imprecise, as opposed to precise, probabilities. The paper shows that voters who act perfectly rational, hold reliable beliefs, and vote honestly won’t necessarily be competent voters under the majority rule. This puts arguments resting on the Condorcet Jury Theorem into question. Thus, we need to rethink if and how we justify voting on epistemic purposes. I will show some escape routes, including redefining competence and including the possibility of abstaining for voters. 

Please note that this is an in-person event. If you can’t attend but would like to follow the talk remotely, please contact Somayeh Tohidi.