Abstract
This paper offers an unorthodox appraisal of empirical research bearing on the question of the low representation of women in philosophy. It contends that fashionable views in the profession concerning implicit bias and stereotype threat are weakly supported, that philosophers often fail to report the empirical work responsibly, and that the standards for evidence are set very low—so long as you take a certain viewpoint.
Highlights
The “tendency for researchers to fall in line with a particular point of view, especially in the more politically charged branches of science” in a way that “distorts research” and can “stifle original thinking” is a growing concern for some [1] (p. 405)
The prescriptive sense is often assumed by opponents of “political correctness,” as in the characterization of feminist epistemology as holding that, “values should determine what theories are accepted [and that] inquiry should be politicized” [2]
In observing that philosophers are increasingly receptive to epistemic arguments for political agendas, Antony [5] counters that some do politicize epistemic norms in arguing that “variation in social position”1 can “pay epistemic dividends,” improving the generation of knowledge in the sciences
Summary
The “tendency for researchers to fall in line with a particular point of view, especially in the more politically charged branches of science” in a way that “distorts research” and can “stifle original thinking” is a growing concern for some [1] (p. 405). While it is platitudinous to say that good scientific practice is social in the sense of depending on communities of knowers offering multiple perspectives, why think demographic diversity will tend to improve epistemic diversity? Are political considerations constraining reasoning about implicit bias and stereotype threat within the context of justification? Stereotype threat is when awareness of and identification with stereotypes (such as that philosophy is for white males) results in heightened anxiety, performance disparities, and reduced interest These ideas have become familiar to the philosophical community, which has responded by implementing policy initiatives and other measures for improving demographic diversity, such as making syllabi and conference line-ups more inclusive, adjusting the management of professional organizations, and reforming journal and hiring practices. Space doesn’t permit a comprehensive review of the entire body of literature in social psychology, but fresh insights about prominent examples, some old, others more recent, will be offered
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