Grad Tutorial: Topics in Feminist Social Epistemology

Tutorial taught by grad student. Enrollment limited to 10. Philosophical work in social epistemology recognizes that knowledge is usually dependent on a range of social institutions, practices, and relations, and considers how these social dimensions of knowledge should be theorized. Feminist social epistemology goes further, arguing that the oppression that characterizes social relations also shapes epistemic practices, norms, and institutions. A distinctive feature of feminist social epistemology is its combination of descriptive and normative elements. Feminist accounts typically begin by identifying features of actual epistemic systems that affect who counts as a knower and what counts as knowledge. This descriptive account is then used to guide the development of norms and recommendations for action. In this class we will begin with a brief history of feminist epistemology before critically examining contemporary work on testimony and ignorance.