Explanation of the Epistemic Side-Effect Effect

Abstract

On the omissions account, in Knobe’s harm case people attribute an intentional omission, which is linguistically expressed as if it were an intentional action. I extend the omissions account to the epistemic side-effect effect. In the harm case, there is a salient knowledge claim (knowledge of a possible harmful consequence) that is relevant to the intentionality of the omission. In assenting to the claim that the chairman knew that the environment would be harmed, people endorse the claim that the chairman knew that a possible harmful consequence of his action was that the environment would be harmed. Such a claim is independent from the predictive claim that the chairman knew that the environment would be harmed; which explains why people assent to the knowledge claim even in the slight chance of harm conditions.