Reliabilism, Virtues and Facualties

Question 1

Reliabilism

Answer 1

Knowledge is reliably formed true belief
Reliable methods: Methods of belief formation likely to
lead to true beliefs

Question 2

The thermometer-thermostat case

Answer 2

Thermometer: Measures temperature
Thermostat: Affects/ regulates temperature
Peter looks at the thermometer,
and forms the true belief that it is 20°C
Usually, the thermometer is very reliable
However, unbeknownst to Peter:
o The thermometer has broken down: The mercury
inside its tube is fluctuating randomly
o Somebody is operating the thermostat to change the temperature so
that it still matches the (random) readings on the thermometer

Question 3

Gettier cases undermine reliabilism

Answer 3

So, we can modify Gettier cases to pick out examples of
reliably formed true beliefs that are not knowledge
Gettier cases are just as bad for reliabilism!

Question 4

Retaining something from reliabilism

Answer 4

the idea that knowledge must be gained by a process that tends
towards the truth mirrors the intuition that gaining knowledge is
similar to performing a task skillfully

Question 5

Sosa Archer: AAA

Answer 5

Accuracy: Did it hit the mark or not?
Adroitness: Wasthe shot good? Wasit competent?
Aptness: Did the shot hit the target because it was
competent?

Question 6

Virtue epistemology

Answer 6

Knowledge is true belief that is virtuously formed, and that is
true because it is virtuously formed

alternative approach to epistemology as a whole

Question 7

Two shared assumptions of Virtue epistemology

Answer 7

(I) Epistemology is a normative discipline
(II) Intellectual agents and communities are the primary
source of epistemic value and the primary focus of epistemic
evaluation

Question 8

Epistemology as a normative discipline: Descriptive vs. normative

Answer 8

A descriptive claim says something about
how things are
A normative claim says something about
how things ought to be

The central epistemological questions and problems concern how we
ought to act epistemically: How should we form beliefs, how should we
assess evidence, how should we evaluate peoples’ evidence, how
should we support our beliefs, etc.

Question 9

Faculty-virtues

Answer 9

Are cognitive faculties or powers that promote intellectual excellence
Develop unconcious
Cognitive faculties are faculty-virtues when they are exercised in a
manner that tends toward true beliefs/ reliable

Question 10

Trait-virtues

Answer 10

epistemic character traits (dispositions) that promote intellectual excellence
Example of epistemic character traits: Tenacity, humility, impartiality, attentiveness, open-mindedness, creativity, etc.
Develop Concious
Virtuous exercise of these traits depends on manifesting the relevant dispositions in appropriate situations/ context

Question 10

Virtue reliabilism

Answer 10

Some argue that virtue epistemology is a kind of reliabilism
These tend to focus on the way in which virtuously exercised
cognitive faculties reliably produce true beliefs

Reliability of the agent
Reliability of the agent’s faculty-virtues and/ or trait-virtues
Knowledge requires that the reliability is at the very least attributable to
the virtuous exercise of an agent’s cognitive faculties

Question 11

A problem virtue reliabilists

Answer 11

chicken-sexe example
Higly reaible

say its by sight and touch

but actually use smell

This belief wasreliably acquired through the exercise of his faculty-virtues

According to virtue reliabilism, Chuck’s belief amounts to knowledge

Chuck’s belief is not a matter of luck

Question 12

Virtue responsibilism

Answer 12

Trait-virtues are the most important for intellectual excellence
o It is what the epistemic agent has control over—and can be said to be responsible for—which is the most important for intellectual virtue

o Tend to hold that knowledge requires the ability to reflect on why belief formation is reliable

o Strong link between trait-virtues and the ethical dimension of intellectual performance: e.g., avoiding dogmatism/fanaticism, impartial (non-biased) judgment

Question 13

Conflicting intuitions chicken sexer Epistemic externalism and epistemic internalism

Answer 13

Epistemic externalism
o This unawareness is irrelevant (Chuck has knowledge)
o It suffices that the reliability can be attributed to Chuck (no need to be
aware of why, or be in control of his belief formation process)

Epistemic internalism
o This unawareness is relevant (Chuck has no knowledge)
o Chuck needs to be aware of his own reliability, and it needs to be
partially under Chuck’s control

Question 14

Conflicting intuitions chicken sexer Epistemic Externalist/internalist virtue epistemology

Answer 14

Externalism in virtue epistemology
o Main focus: faculty-virtues (though trait-virtues are not unimportant)
o Chuck’s belief is formed through a reliable cognitive faculty (smell), and
thus amounts to knowledge
o Virtue reliabilism

Internalism in virtue epistemology
o Main focus: trait-virtues
o Chuck’s belief is not formed through exercising a trait-virtue, and thus
does not amount to knowledge
o Virtue responsibilism

Question 15

Virtue reliabilism and responsibilism conflict?

Answer 15

In the chicken sexer case yes but in most cases they will come to the same conculsion

Question 16

Sosa Knowing full well AAA should inculde meta aptness

Answer 16

Beliefs that are narrowly apt (animal knowledge)
o Accurate: They are true
o Adroit: They are virtuously formed
o Narrowly apt: They are true because they are virtuously formed

Beliefs that are meta-apt (reflective knowledge)
o Accurate: One is sure that one’s should form a belief
o Adroit: This certainty is due to one’s competence in evaluating risks
of false belief
o Meta-apt: One is sure that one should form a belief due to one’s
competence in evaluating risks of false belief

Knowing full well is to have a fully apt belief