Michael Lynch, “In Praise of Reason” (MIT Press, 2012)
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What is the central thesis of Michael Lynch’s *In Praise of Reason*?
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Hello, and welcome to the New Books and Philosophy channel of the New Books Network. My name is Robert Talese, and I am co-host of the channel with Carrie Figder. In our bi-monthly podcast, we talk with philosophers about their newly published books. Today, I'll be talking with Professor Michael Lynch about his new book, In Praise of Reason, which has just been published with the MIT Press. Michael is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Connecticut. There is a set of intellectual practices associated with the natural sciences that's devoted to the idea that our cognitive lives are properly managed when we base our beliefs upon evidence and sound reasoning. For simplicity's sake, we can call this set of practices the method of reason.
The method of reason governs many of our everyday affairs. For example, when the car doesn't start, we look in the gas tank, or we check the engine, rather than offer a sacrifice to the gods of transportation. But one may ask whether the method of reason is appropriate as a basic cognitive policy for all areas of belief. Perhaps there are some matters where reasons and evidence simply don't matter. Perhaps there are other non-rational sources of cognitive guidance that trump the method of reason. Or maybe the method of reason is actually a kind of rationalization. Maybe the attempt to believe on the basis of our reasons and evidence, is a kind of folly, because in the end, there really is no such thing as evidence.
In his new book, Michael Lynch provides a thoroughly sensible and compelling defense of reason against these various kinds of skeptical worries. But the book is not a purely academic exercise in the area of philosophy known as epistemology. Lynch recognizes that questions concerning what we believe and when we believe are often bound up with questions of how we believe. And questions about how we believe are of central importance to the project of sustaining a civil democratic society. That is, In Praise of Reason is a work at the intersection of epistemology and political philosophy. It is also a highly engaging read. Let's turn to the interview. Hello, Michael Lynch. Hi, Bob. How are you doing today?
Good.
Thanks for having me on the program. Well, thank you for joining us. Today on New Books and Philosophy, I'm talking to Michael Lynch about his new book, In Praise of Reason, which has just come out with the MIT Press. As the title suggests, this book offers a defense of reason and rationality against various kinds of skepticism. Lynch writes in his characteristically engaging style, and the book will be of interest to philosophers and non-philosophers alike. Now one of the most attractive features of In Praise of Reason, at least to me, is the way in which Lynch brings together considerations from epistemology and political philosophy.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the central thesis of Michael Lynch’s *In Praise of Reason*?
0:00–8:09
2
How does Lynch define the “method of reason” and why is it important for everyday problem‑solving?
8:09–18:01
3
What are the main skeptical challenges to reason that the book addresses?
18:01–26:29
4
How does Lynch use a Rawls‑style “original position” thought experiment to justify basic epistemic principles?
26:29–35:26
5
Why does Lynch argue that practical, democratic virtues can ground our trust in scientific methods?
35:26–44:59
6
What role do emotion and intuition play in belief formation according to the discussion?
44:59–53:19
7
How does the book connect epistemic equality with the distribution of expertise in a democratic society?
53:19–1:03:03
8
What future projects does Michael Lynch plan that extend the themes of *In Praise of Reason*?
1:03:03–1:11:22
Speakers
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Rivka Weinberg, "The Meaning of It All: Ultimate Meaning, Everyday Meaning, Cosmic Meaning, Death, and Time" (Oxford UP, 2026)
PJ DiPietro, "Sideways Selves Travesti and Jotería, "Struggles Across the Américas" (U Texas Press, 2025)