Jonathan Birch (LSE): “Shared Know How”

Abstract: Know how is distinguished from other epistemic states by its special role in basic intentional action. I argue that we can characterize a shared epistemic state, ‘shared know how’, that plays an analogous role in basic intentional joint action. This leads to the question: how does shared know how relate to individual know how? Does the former reduce to the latter, or is it a sui generis phenomenon? I argue that, while there are serious obstacles to a fully reductionist account, an ‘almost reductionist’ account is more promising. This account, if correct, helps shed light on the distinctive epistemic value of practising together.