The incredible Mr. Magoo

To celebrate the 50th annivesary of epistemology virtue

Abstract

A typical presentation states that contemporary virtue epistemology, conceived as a distinctive movement within epistemology, began with Ernest Sosa’s paper “The Raft and the Pyramid,” published in 1980. Such a version is almost canonical. This paper presents a different narrative, i.e., the contrafactual thesis (perhaps materially false and somehow illogical, though meaningful) that the virtue epistemology may have two timely distinct starting points, answering puzzles inherited from Gettier’s problem. Of course, our intention is neither to dispute six years nor to deny the relevance of “The Raft and the Pyramid,” but to show that a few pages of “How do you know?”, a paper published in 1974, were written in the proper spirit of Sosa’s virtue epistemology and even are internally related to its general perspective, likely including its more recent steps. As we intend to demonstrate, Sosa was conscious in 1974 of the novelty for his coming perspectivism, specially of the normative aspect of a properly epistemological reflection, then clearly expressed: (1) in his emphasis on the condition of the subject; (2) in the affirmed specificity of the epistemic interest; (3) in the notion of “being in a position to know” (both through the negative and prototypical face of Magoo situations and the positive description of the figure of the knower); and (4) even in a new definition of knowledge, proper to the field of virtue epistemology. As stated in our conclusion, the philosophical community should celebrate the 50 years of virtue epistemology twice, starting in 2024. After all, 1974 was a bright year for epistemological research; 1980, too. In this spirit of reflection, we all benefit from celebrating Sosa’s beautiful and singular intellectual adventure many times.