Max Forster

I am a late-stage PhD candidate at Stanford University. Recently, my work has focused on social epistemology, especially on peer disagreement. I employ statistical models and simulations to examine how individuals can respond to disagreements, and what norms should govern these responses.

Separately, my dissertation develops a compression-based account of understanding. The central idea is that to understand some object or domain requires possessing relevant compressed representations. I give an account of mental compression, and examine why it is distinctly valuable.

For more info, see my website: max-forster.com