Trust, Duty, and the “Dummy”

Both Shiffren and Frank argue that trust in others should be rational. However, they disagree on what makes it so. For Frank, reliable signals allow individuals to distinguish between genuine cooperators and calculating mimics to solve commitment problems and reach desirable, rational outcomes. However, Frank’s account holds for the rational development of an "undetectable defector” who is able to perfectly feign signals of sincere emotional bonds to manipulate cooperators and gain the external benefits of trust without the cost of true commitment. By shifting the focus from detection to duty, Shriffren’s discussion of sincerity addresses this issue. She moves beyond external goods, showing that faking sincerity (lying), even when convincing, is ultimately irrational due to the lost internal goods and systemic stability. 

Shiffren argues that when a person fakes sincerity, they present a “dummy” in their place, isolating the speaker from the listener (1009). By misrepresenting their internal state, they fail to gain the internal goods of the speaker-listener relationship. Even sincere but inaccurate speech has value because it allows for correction and connection, expressing a speaker’s true beliefs or suspicions (1008). 

Shiffren’s analogy of currency also illustrates the rationalization of acting sincerely. She posits that when "counterfeit currency” is introduced in addition to the circulating “valid currency,” the value, validity, and functional value of the currency as a whole rationally diminish (1011). While one may argue that undetected counterfeit currency would cause no harm, the example highlights the systemic risk of rationalizing distrust of a network with even 1% counterfeit currency. Furthermore, the mere distrust due to potential counterfeit currency is harmful to the functioning of a democracy, as it sabotages the epistemic cooperation required for robust self-governance (1011). 

To mitigate this risk, Shiffren works to minimize the threat of the Undetectable Defector of Frank’s commitment model. She argues that government officials and experts with "rare access to information and uncommon interpretive skills,” which are the resources critical to becoming an undetectable defector, should be held to a higher standard of accuracy and sincerity due to their greater influence and role as an essential epistemic resource (1005, 1012). She also discusses the importance of individual critical thinking independent of algorithms, a skill that decreases susceptibility to be manipulated by a defector and turn into just as much of a “dummy” as the liar themself (1025). By deterring defectors through strict scrutiny and encouraging critical intellect to better equip individuals to navigate defectors, Shiffren supports rationally secured trust essential for democratic functioning.