The vices and virtues of instrumentalized knowledge

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2023

Authors

Siegmann, Job (Author) Other; Grayot, James (Author) FLUP

Journal

Title: Philosophies

Serial No. Art. 84 Vol. 8 No. 5

ISSN: 2409-9287

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Science

Scopus

ERIH Plus

Worldcat OCLC

ProQuest

SHERPA/RoMEO

EBSCO

DOAJ

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Other information

DOI: 10.3390/philosophies8050084

Abstract (EN): This article starts by defining instrumentalized knowledge (IK) as the practice of selectively valuing some set of reliable beliefs for the promotion of a more generally false or unreliable worldview. IK is typically exploited by conspiratorial echo chambers, which display systematic distrust and opposition towards mainstream epistemic authorities. We argue that IK is problematic in that it violates core epistemic virtues, and this gives rise to clear and present harms when abused by said echo chambers. Yet, we contend, mainstream epistemic authorities (MEAs) are also complicit in practices resembling IK; we refer to these practices as instrumentalized knowledge* (IK*). IK* differs from IK in that the selective valuing of beliefs corresponds to a ”reliable” worldview, namely, one independently verified by the relevant epistemic experts. We argue that IK*, despite its apparent veracity, is also problematic, as it violates the same epistemic virtues as IK despite its aim of promoting true beliefs. This, we argue, leads it to being counterproductive in its goal of producing knowledge for the sake of the pursuit of truth, thereby raising the question of what distinguishes virtuous from nonvirtuous practices of instrumentalized knowledge. In an attempt to avoid this violation and to distinguish IK* from IK, we investigate whether and how IK* could still be epistemically virtuous. We conclude that IK* can be virtuous if its goal is to produce understanding as opposed to mere knowledge.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 14