Rationalising Discursive Anomalies

Author: Goodin, Robert E.

Source: Theoria, Volume 56, Number 119, June 2009 , pp. 1-13(13)

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Abstract:

Sunstein's Infotopia offers four reasons for thinking that information-pooling via mechanical aggregation of votes is superior to discursive sharing of opinions. This article focuses on two of them—the Common Knowledge Effect and Group Polarisation—showing that both phenomena might have perfectly good Bayesian explanations. Far from constituting 'errors', both can actually contribute to truth-tracking in ways that cannot be accomplished via mechanical aggregation of votes alone.

Keywords: AGGREGATION OF INFORMATION; COLLECTIVE DELIBERATION; VOTING; REASONING; COMMON KNOWLEDGE EFFECT; GROUP POLARISATION

DOI: 10.3167/th.2009.5611902

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