180140 SE Social Epistemology (2016W)

Aims: By the end of the course students will have acquired and developed:

1. An understanding of what social epistemology is.
2. An appreciation how epistemology could be of relevance to social and political concerns.
3. A range of valuable analytical skills and abilities (how to evaluate an argument; how to construct a valid argument; how to read a complicated text).
4. The ability to express philosophical ideas and views orally and in writing, with an emphasis on clarity, structure, precision, concision and dialectical effectiveness.
5. A range of transferable skills, including the skills mentioned above, but also the ability to work to a deadline, prepare a group presentation and conduct one's own research (e.g. find and consult a range of primary sources).

Contents: This course looks at three areas in social epistemology. The first area is the epistemology of testimony. Most of our beliefs are based on what others have told us. Take, for instance, our scientific beliefs. While we consider ourselves aware of developments in modern science, most of us lack the expertise to properly evaluate or even understand much scientific work. In this part of the course we look at questions like: Are we entitled to just believe what we are told by experts? How should we figure out who the experts are? Can groups testify?

The second area is the epistemology of disagreement. Even experts disagree sometimes; for instance, take debates about politics, religion and science. Given the ubiquity of expert disagreement, perhaps we should be less confident in our views about controversial topics than we in fact are. In this part of the course we look at questions like: Should disagreement affect our confidence in general? What about in particular cases, like the case of religious disagreement?

The third area is the epistemology of ignorance. Is ignorance just a lack of knowledge, or is it at least sometimes wilful and cultivated on behalf of the powerful? What kinds of ignorance are there?

The fourth area is epistemic (as opposed to social and political) oppression. Is epistemic oppression distinct from, or does it reduce to, these other more familiar forms of oppression? Why might arrogance be a form of epistemic oppression? What is the distinctively epistemic harm in being silenced?

Teaching Methods: Each seminar will be based on a text, which will be read in advance. For each seminar, students will prepare two points for discussion, which will be sent to me beforehand. The seminar will begin with a short presentation by a small group of students. If necessary, I will provide some broader context for our discussion. Otherwise, the remaining time will be used to discuss the substantive philosophical issues raised by the text.