Measuring Social Epistemic Virtues

Abstract

This chapter provides a practical perspective on the question of how to measure social epistemic virtues. First, I discuss whether social epistemic virtues can be measured at all. The answer to that question is not obvious and depends on one’s conception of social epistemic virtue. The section considers a number of challenges for measurement: the role-relativity of social epistemic virtue; the challenge of “stealthy” virtues; and challenges in defining and individuating social epistemic virtues. I argue that all of these challenges can be overcome by thoughtful measurement strategies. Second, I discuss to what extent survey measures of social epistemic virtue can help answer questions in virtue epistemology. I argue that empirical studies play an important role in informing foundational questions about social epistemic virtue. However, good measurement instruments for social epistemic virtue are a critical missing ingredient of studies that directly test key assumptions in important debates in virtue epistemology. In particular, I discuss to what extent studies can help to address the “situationist challenge” that social epistemic virtues do not explain knowledge acquisition. In addition to sound measurement, I argue that we also need sophisticated study designs to identify causal relationships—rather than mere correlations between social epistemic virtue and the quality of one’s epistemic network.