Different Matters by Damien Grant Dr Matthew Hooten on Different Matters, conservatism, its principles and conservatists in government
Jan 29, 2026
Dr Matthew Hooton, centre-right commentator and recent PhD in applied conservatism, outlines conservatism as an epistemic stance. He discusses prudence, reversibility and institutional knowledge. Short takes cover subsidiarity, the “golden five” human facts, limits of knowledge, and why tradition and cautious change matter in politics.
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Conservatism As An Epistemic Philosophy
- Conservatism is primarily an epistemic stance that emphasizes limited human knowledge and how to act given that limitation.
- It values realism about a mind-independent world plus humility about what we can know about it.
Epistemic Humility Shapes Caution
- Epistemic humility means accepting we can never know political or moral truths with absolute certainty.
- Conservatives therefore prefer provisional, incremental approaches rather than bold, irreversible experiments.
Default To Tradition For Hidden Knowledge
- Tradition carries embedded knowledge that may help fill our epistemic gaps even when we don't fully understand its origins.
- Conservatives hold a default prejudice toward existing practices unless clear reasons justify change.
