A Function-First Account of Trust

Consensus about how best to analyse trust remains elusive. This paper presents a function-first strategy for understanding trust. By identifying a common functional core to trust, we can unify various forms of trust as forms of the same thing while respecting trust’s diversity. I explicate a function-first model of trust according to which the grounds of trust differentially dispose trustors to rely on trustees. After motivating and developing the model, I address three objections. I conclude by orienting a function-first account of trust toward future trust research and considerations of well-placed trust.