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Common Knowledge and Adult Learning: A Book Review of When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows...

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Title: Common Knowledge and Adult Learning: A Book Review of When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows...
Authors: Hannah, Richard1 (AUTHOR) rhannah@nccer.org
Source: Adult Learning. May2026, Vol. 37 Issue 2, p140-142. 3p.
Subject Terms: *Adult learning, *Learning communities, *Game theory, *Theory of knowledge, *Social norms, Information sharing, Social interaction, Philosophers
People: Pinker, Steven, 1954-
Abstract: The article reviews Steven Pinker’s book *When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows...*, which applies philosophy and game theory to explain how "common knowledge"—information known by all members of a group—facilitates cooperation and social coordination. Pinker distinguishes common knowledge from private knowledge and uses examples like *The Emperor’s New Clothes* to illustrate how shared awareness shapes social norms and learning communities. The book offers valuable insights for adult educators and qualitative researchers by highlighting how shared understandings influence learning, identity, and workplace behaviors, though its reliance on rationalist models may underemphasize the complexity of emotions and power dynamics in adult learning. Overall, Pinker’s framework provides a useful perspective on the social dynamics of learning communities and the implicit cultural knowledge that guides collective behavior. [Extracted from the article]
Copyright of Adult Learning is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: The article reviews Steven Pinker’s book *When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows...*, which applies philosophy and game theory to explain how "common knowledge"—information known by all members of a group—facilitates cooperation and social coordination. Pinker distinguishes common knowledge from private knowledge and uses examples like *The Emperor’s New Clothes* to illustrate how shared awareness shapes social norms and learning communities. The book offers valuable insights for adult educators and qualitative researchers by highlighting how shared understandings influence learning, identity, and workplace behaviors, though its reliance on rationalist models may underemphasize the complexity of emotions and power dynamics in adult learning. Overall, Pinker’s framework provides a useful perspective on the social dynamics of learning communities and the implicit cultural knowledge that guides collective behavior. [Extracted from the article]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Adult Learning is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Text: English
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              Text: May2026
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