Affective States and Epistemic Immediacy

Author: Hookway C.

Source: Metaphilosophy, Volume 34, Numbers 1-2, January 2003 , pp. 78-96(19)

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Abstract:

This article defends the view that an adequate response to some central epistemological problems requires us to find a role for emotions and other affective states in epistemic evaluation and also to invoke virtuous traits of character in order to explain how these affective evaluations are regulated. The argument is based on the need for some epistemic evaluations to possess a kind of immediacy, if we are not to face a worrying regress. The closing sections support the claim that epistemic evaluation depends upon appropriate character traits though a discussion of what is involved in being observant.

Keywords: emotions; epistemology; immediacy; reasons; virtues

Language: English

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: University of Sheffield, United Kingdom email: c.j.hookway@sheffield.ac.uk

Publication date: 2003-01-01