A grand unified theory of trust

A grand unified theory of trust

Trust is a vital, yet nebulous philosophical concept which has persistently defied singular definition despite undergoing millennia of research scrutiny. This thesis directly addresses this critical research gap by proposing a grand unified theory and model of trust, wherein a unitary definition of trust is articulated as ‘autopoietic risk mitigation’. The proposed theory and model encompass a unitary epistemology, axiology, and ontology of trust. These original trust conceptions are simultaneously derived from, and founded on a wide range of trust definitions which are identified, analysed, and synthesised via completion of an integrated Literature Scoping Review, Systematic Literature Review, and Meta Literature Analysis. Thereby, this thesis demonstrates the simultaneous relevance, accuracy, and specificity necessary to objectively integrate and extend prior trust-centric research works.