The Epistemic Good of Epistemic Responsibilist Virtues

Abstract

The question of whether it is a necessary feature of intellectual virtues that they lead to a higher ratio of true to false beliefs has been a continuous controversy. The aim of this paper is to clarify what the instrumental value of intellectual responsibilist virtues amounts to. By spelling out what makes virtues epistemically good in terms of inquiry, a view can be offered that not only elucidates the theoretical and practical demands of intellectual virtues, but that also provides a plausible account of what comprises the instrumental value of responsibilist virtues.