PHIL20680 Applied Epistemology: The Ethics and Politics of Knowledge and Belief

Academic Year 2020/2021

This module examines the role of knowledge in our social and political life. Social epistemology is a relatively recent but increasingly popular and influential area of philosophy which focuses on the public dimensionsof knowledge. The course will introduce students to topics in social epistemology that have an immediate relevance to contemporary social and political events. Topics to be discussed will include

Epistemic virtues and vices
Experts and their roles in the knowledge economy
Epistemic trust: why and why not?
Testimonial justice and injustice
Philosophical reflections on conspiracy theories
The role of testimony in knowledge
Epistemic authority and paternalism
Peer disagreement and its significance
The epistemology of fake news
Knowledge and power: A perspective from feminist epistemology

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module, students will have a better understanding of the political and social significance of the more abstract and long-established philosophical considerations about knowledge, belief and ignorance. Students will also become familiar with recent developments in applied epistemology, where philosophical methods are use for analysing and understanding social and political issues such as fake news, conspiracy theories, and breakdown of trust in experts.

Indicative Module Content:

1. Epistemic virtues and vices
2. Experts and their roles in the knowledge economy
3. Epistemic trust: why and why not?
4. Testimonial justice and injustice
5. Knowledge and power: A feminist perspective.
6. Philosophical reflections on Conspiracy Theories
7. The role of testimony in knowledge
8. Epistemic authority and paternalism
9. Peer disagreement and its significance
10. The epistemology of fake news

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Specified Learning Activities

24
Autonomous Student Learning

40
Online Learning

12
Total

100
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
A blended approach to teaching, comprising lectures, seminars, classwork and online participation.
The course will be co-taught by Professor Maria Baghramian and Dr Michel Croce. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Continuous Assessment: The assessment will be based on essays and class/online participation Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded No

100

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

The core textbook for this module is

The Routledge handbook of social epistemology
Author: Miranda Fricker; Peter J Graham; David Henderson; Nikolaj J L L Pedersen
Publisher Routledge, 2019

Selected articles for each topic will be added to the module reading list and will be made available through Brightspace.