Final answer:
Trusting the claims of individuals based on their advanced degrees or positions of influence reflects the way of knowing called 'authority'. This is often seen when people trust doctors, academics, or policymakers without independent verification, due to the perceived expertise and status of these individuals.
Step-by-step explanation:
When individuals automatically trust the claims of people with advanced degrees or positions of influence, this reflects the way of knowing referred to as authority. This occurs because the individual is relying on the status or expertise of someone else rather than on personal experience, empirical evidence, or deductive logic. It is particularly relevant in the context of testimony, as people often base their beliefs on the information provided by others deemed to be experts or leaders.
For example, when a doctor advises a patient on a medical issue, the patient typically trusts the doctor's advice because of their medical degree and the authority that comes with it, rather than conducting personal medical research to come to the same conclusion. Similarly, in academia or governmental policy, people tend to trust professors and policymakers because of their positions of authority and supposed expertise.