ABSTRACT
The focus of the literature in the epistemology of testimony has been on the everyday experience of providing and receiving information from others as well as the conceptual exploration of how it may be best to think about these experiences. The literature does not typically look deeply into what empirical evidence there may be that our everyday sense of these activities is correct. In considering some evidence that it is not correct, that, in fact, we are not very good at some things one might pre-theoretically think grease the wheels of testimonial knowledge, we will gain some clarity on the social skills and background conditions that are necessary to thrive together epistemically.
