China Social Science Review

No.2, 2024

A Review of Cognitive Conservatism

(Abstract)

Wang Huaping

Cognitive conservatism holds that the subject of cognition can bring some degree of justification to a belief he or she holds simply by believing it. Although this claim may seem counterintuitive, proponents argue that it is not only defensible, but also offers numerous cognitive benefits. These include explaining the rationality of some basic philosophical approaches, justifying mnemonic beliefs versus beliefs in the absence of evidence, and addressing the problems of underdetermination and scepticism problem. If cognitive conservatism indeed possesses the cognitive benefits it claims, it may not be defensible; conversely, if it is defensible, then it likely does not possess the claimed cognitive benefits.