Action Without Certainty: The Knowability and Legitimacy of Public Value

This article critically examines the public value knowability debate by synthesizing competing perspectives from recent Perspectives scholars and illustrates how legitimacy, rather than certainty, serves as justification for public value propositions and the use of public authority. This illustration is applied to a thought experiment of a public value proposition based in state forest management to demonstrate public action without certainty. The implication of the analysis suggests that rather than expecting absolute certainty of public value propositions, public administrators must embrace uncertainty with humility, public engagement, and a willingness to learn.