Know-how as Competence

Overview & Synopsis

What does it mean to know how to do something? This book develops a comprehensive account of know-how; a crucial epistemic goal for all who care about getting things right; not only with respect to the facts; but also with respect to practice. It proposes a novel interpretation of the seminal work of Gilbert Ryle; according to which know-how is a competence; a complex ability to do well in an activity in virtue of guidance by an understanding of what it takes to do so. This idea is developed into a full-fledged account; Rylean responsibilism; which understands know-how in terms of the normative guidance and responsible control of one's acts. Within the complex current debate about know-how; this view occupies a middle ground position between the intellectualist claim that know-how just is propositional or objectual knowledge and the anti-intellectualist claim that know-how just is ability. In genuine know-how; practical ability and guiding intellect are both necessary; but essentially intertwined.