Sosa's Virtue Epistemology Flashcards
What is the AAA structure?
According to Sosa, this is how we evaluate performances:
Accuracy
Adroitness
Aptness
What is accuracy?
Whether or not the performer achieves their aim.
What is adroitness?
The skill displayed by the performer.
What is aptness?
Whether or not the success of the performer was caused by the skill.
What is risk assessment?
The act of understanding how likely you would be to succeed if you performed under the current conditions.
What is meant by animal knowledge or mere apt belief?
A type of foundational knowledge. It is formed by reliable capacities used in their normal conditions. This is the type of knowledge that is held by animals and small children.
What is reflective knowledge or knowing full well?
A type of knowledge above animal knowledge. It requires that we have meta beliefs that justify our foundations.
What is epistemic ascent?
The idea that if you “know full well” that p and reflect on your belief that p, you must be justified in believing that p.
What is cognitio?
Awareness. Includes self-presenting states and axiomatic and metaphysical principles.
What is scientia?
True knowledge, wisdom. This does not include any belief that could be open to legitimate doubt.
What is the bootstrapping objection?
An objection to Sosa’s virtue epistemology. We can form reliable beliefs from a reliable process. But inferring the reliability of the process based on those beliefs is circular. This seems to be how we acquire meta beliefs on Sosa’s account.
