Brandon University Philosopher Receives Federal Funding to Explore Why Truth and Critical Thinking Matter

SSHRC Insight Grant supports four-year research project on the social foundations of knowledge

Brandon University is pleased to announce that Dr. Cameron Boult, Associate Professor of Philosophy, has been awarded a $72,702 Insight Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) to investigate a deceptively simple but urgently important question: do truth, facts, and critical thinking matter? And if so, why?

The four-year project, titled Relation-Based Epistemology, argues that the answer lies not in the individual mind, but in our relationships with one another.

We live in an era of misinformation, deepfakes, and eroding public trust in facts. Leaders dismiss evidence; viral videos blur the line between real and fabricated; loud voices often drown out careful reasoning. In this environment, Dr. Boult believes it has never been more important to understand, at a fundamental level, why truth and critical thinking matter.

“Many of us intuitively sense that evidence and facts are important,” says Dr. Boult, “but philosophers have long struggled to explain exactly why. My project develops a new answer, one that puts our relationships with each other at the centre of the story.”

At the heart of the project is what Dr. Boult calls the “relation-based view.” The core idea is straightforward: when we reason carefully, weigh evidence honestly, and respect facts, we are not just improving our own thinking, we are being good epistemic partners to the people around us. We are building and maintaining what Dr. Boult calls “epistemic relationships,” the bonds of trust and intellectual respect that allow us to share knowledge and make sense of the world together.

These relationships matter in two important ways. First, they are deeply practical: without basic trust in what others tell us, ordinary life becomes nearly impossible. Second, like friendship or mutual respect, good epistemic relationships have value, independent of any practical payoff.

A portion of the research will focus specifically on epistemic decolonization in the Canadian context, examining questions around decolonizing education and what has been called “epistemic reparations”, efforts to repair the damage done to knowledge systems and communities by colonial practices.

“Dr. Boult’s research speaks to some of the most pressing challenges of our time.” said Dr. Gregory Kennedy, Dean of Arts, “The erosion of public trust in facts, the harms of excluding marginalized voices, and the urgent need to understand why truth matters. This federal investment recognizes the quality and importance of the philosophical work being done right here at Brandon University, and we are proud to support it.”

“This grant is a testament to Dr. Boult’s exceptional research profile and his ability to connect foundational scholarship with issues that matter deeply to Canadians.” said Dr.  Bernadette Ardelli, Vice-President (Research & Graduate Studies), “Research like this reminds us that the humanities are essential to building a more thoughtful, inclusive, and well-informed society.”

The project is designed to reach well beyond the academy. In partnership with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg, Dr. Boult plans to host a public roundtable series bringing together scholars, activists, community leaders, and members of the public to discuss the importance of epistemic relationships and critical thinking in everyday life.

About the Researcher

Dr. Cameron Boult joined Brandon University in 2017 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2022. He is the author of Epistemic Blame: The Nature and Norms of Epistemic Relationships (Oxford University Press, 2024) and has published widely in leading philosophy journals. He is a Senior Research Associate at the African Centre for Epistemology and Philosophy of Science (University of Johannesburg), an Affiliate of the COGITO Centre for Epistemology (Glasgow University), and a co-founding member of the Epistemic Reparations Global Working Group. More information about Dr. Boult’s work is available at https://people.brandonu.ca/boultc/.

Contact