Virtue Epistemology

Question 1

What does virtue epistemology seek to do

Answer 1

Justify knowledge in terms of the intellectual virtues and vices of a the knower

Question 2

What is a virtuous act

Answer 2

Successful and its success stems from virtue

Question 3

How does knowledge stem from intellectual acts

Answer 3

When the belief is successful(true) and where it’s success stems from intellectual virtue( not luckily true)

Question 4

What is the tendency to use reliable processes

Answer 4

An intellectual virtue

Question 5

What is the tendency to use unreliable processes

Answer 5

An intellectual vice

Question 6

What does virtue epistemology claim

Answer 6

Knowledge is a true belief brought about by a virtuous intellectual disposition( tendency). OR a virtuous true belief

Question 7

What are the three A’s of Sosa’s triple A rating

Answer 7

Accuracy, adroitness, aptness

Question 8

Apply the triple A rating to shooting an accurate arrow

Answer 8

Accuracy- whether it hits the target( even if luckily so)
Adroitness- how skilful it was. Even if it misses (maybe wind)
Aptness- an apt shot is accurate because it was adroit

Question 9

How does the triple A rating apply to knowledge

Answer 9

Accuracy- a belief is accurate if it is true
Adroitness- a belief formed by a intellectual virtue( even if it is not true)/
Aptness- an apt belief is one that is true because it is formed with intellectual virtue

Question 10

What does sosa suggest

Answer 10

Knowledge is an apt belief

Question 11

How does sosa’s virtue epistemology apply to the gettier case of smith and the job

Answer 11

The cases involved an accurate belief ( the successful candidate has ten coins ). The beliefs were fairly adroit( counting the coins as they were tipped off by the president of the company) . However the trueness of the belief was not the result of intellectual virtue as it was a coincidence. It was an accurate true belief but wasn’t apt- not accurate because of skill (intellectual virtue). Sosa wouldn’t claim smith had knowledge

Question 12

Does the triple A rating count the fake barns case as knowledge

Answer 12

Yes- it was accurate. There was a barn
It was adroit. Based on visual perception
It was apt. Accurate because it was adroit

Question 13

What did sosa call the type of knowledge that the fake barn case had

Answer 13

Animal knowledge- the sort that other animals have as well

Question 14

What does human knowledge depend on the believer to have

Answer 14

An awareness on how apt, or otherwise, their belief is. We have to be able to reflect on our belief

Question 15

Why does the archer example have human knowledge

Answer 15

On a windy day a archer skilfully shoots and hits a bulls-eye.
The shot was apt- hit the target because of the skill of the archer.
However the archer knows that he shot on a windy day so can reflect on whether the shot was lucky or not even thought he shot was apt

Question 16

Why is the fake barns case an example of animal knowledge

Answer 16

He isn’t able to reflect on his knowledge as he is unaware of his deceptive surroundings. He cannot tell if his belief was apt or whether an element of luck was involved. If Barney was aware of his surroundings he would’ve been able form a reflective belief on the likely accuracy of his initial belief