Reliabilism and virtue epistemology

Michael Lacewingenquiries@alevelphilosophy.co

.uk

Reliabilism

• You know that p if– p is true;– You believe that p; and– Your belief is caused by a reliable cognitive

process. • A reliable cognitive process is just one that

produces a high percentage of true beliefs – E.g. perception, memory and testimony– (A false belief caused by a reliable process is

not knowledge.)

An advantage

• Young children and animals have knowledge.

• Young children and animals don’t have a sophisticated rational psychology that provides justifications for their beliefs.

• So knowledge is not justified true belief.• Young children and animals do have

reliable cognitive processes, though.• Knowledge is reliable true belief.

Objection

• A belief can be true and reliable but not be knowledge– Henry in Barn County: Henry believes

‘there’s a barn’ when looking at the only real barn in a countryside full of barn facades, but he also believes ‘there’s a barn’ when looking at the barn facades.

• The problem is Henry can’t tell the difference between real barns and barn facades.

Improved reliabilism

• You know that p if– p is true;– You believe that p;– Your belief that p is caused by a

reliable cognitive process; and– You are able to discriminate between

‘relevant possibilities’ in the actual situation.

Tracking the truth

• A different definition of ‘reliable cognitive process’ is one that ‘tracks’ the truth.

• Nozick: you know that p if – p is true;– You believe that p;– In the situation you are in, or a similar situation,

if p were not true, then you would not believe that p; and

– In the situation you are in, or a similar situation, if p were true, then you would believe that p.

Tracking the truth

• In normal cases, Henry knows whether or not he is looking at a barn– If it wasn’t a barn, he wouldn’t believe that it

is.• In Barn County, Henry doesn’t know

– Because he would believe something is a barn when it isn’t.

• Reliability doesn’t mean you wouldn’t be mistaken in any situation, just in ones likely to come up.

Brains in vats

• I know I have two hands.• But imagine:

– I am a brain in a vat, and all my perceptual experiences are being fed to me by a supercomputer (The Matrix) or a demon (Descartes).

• Do I know (now) that I am not a brain in a vat?– No, because if I were, I would believe that I

am not.

The principle of closure

• The principle: if I know the premises, I know the conclusion of a valid deduction.

• A valid deduction:– I have two hands– If I have two hands, then I am not a brain in a vat– Therefore, I am not a brain in a vat.

• Reliabilism says that I know the premises, but I don’t know the conclusion!

• But if you accept the principle, and you accept that you don’t know you are a brain in a vat, you must accept scepticism – you don’t know the premises either.

Virtue epistemology

• Intellectual virtue: an intellectual skill or ability or trait that contributes to getting to the truth.

• You know that p if– p is true;– You believe that p; and– Your true belief is a result of you exercising your

intellectual virtues.• The fact that you have a true belief is a

‘cognitive achievement’ for which you deserve ‘credit’.

The three As

• Sosa: suppose an archer shoots an arrow at a target – Accuracy: did the arrow hit the target?– Adroitness: was the arrow shot well? Was the shot

competent?– Aptness: did the arrow hit the target because it

was shot well?• A shot can be adroit without being accurate; it

can even be accurate and adroit without being apt, e.g. luck (the wind blows the arrow off target and then on again).

Apt belief

• Knowledge is apt belief:– Accuracy: is the belief true?– Adroitness: is the way that the person formed the belief

an exercise of their intellectual virtues?– Aptness: is the belief true because the person used their

intellectual virtues in forming it?• Henry: normally, Henry knows ‘there’s a barn’ because

he sees and recognises it. In Barn County, his belief isn’t apt– Either because Henry can’t recognise barns – he doesn’t

have the right intellectual virtues (abilities)– Or when his belief is right, it isn’t because he has

exercised his virtues, but because of luck.