What epistemic hygiene norms should there be?

Abstract

Exploration of “epistemic hygiene”, referring to practices that enable the accurate propagation of beliefs within a community while curbing the spread of less precise or biased assumptions, is undertaken. This discourse underscores the importance of these practices especially in group settings, paralleling them with conventional hygiene practices which aim at disease prevention. By delineating a variety of potential epistemic hygiene norms, it invites the suggestion of more such practices. It also encourages honest discourse about the evidence and causality behind beliefs, separating individual impressions from collective ones, and not spreading ideas that have not been personally verified. Other norms include giving credit for changes in beliefs in line with sound evidence, presenting strong cases against one’s own ideas, and not judging individuals for holding errant beliefs. The article concludes by soliciting the most valuable norms, questioning some, and urging the suggestion of new ones. – AI-generated abstract.