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Socializing Intellectual Autonomy

Socializing Intellectual Autonomy

Posted on 10 August 2020 by

Two key ideas which frame our thinking about autonomy are self-governance and self-reliance. The problem with using these arguably modern ideas to frame our thinking about autonomy is that it […]

Have we lost the idea of a critical friend?

Have we lost the idea of a critical friend?

Posted on 27 July 2020 by

I sometimes wonder, in the age of online and offline echochambers and Facebook friendship bubbles, whether we have lost the ancient idea of a critical friend. I am as guilty […]

‘Not people like us’: the epistemic objectification of the UK’s most vulnerable and why the pandemic is unlikely to change this treatment

‘Not people like us’: the epistemic objectification of the UK’s most vulnerable and why the pandemic is unlikely to change this treatment

Posted on 13 July 2020 by

Poverty and human rights abuses in the UK: fear and compassion “I wash in what I call a birdbath – a little hot water in a basin and have a […]

#YouShouldBelieveHer

#YouShouldBelieveHer

Posted on 29 June 2020 by

We believe what other people tell us. I trust that you are on the way to the mall if you tell me you are on the way to the mall; […]

The epistemic predicament of the conspiracy theorist

The epistemic predicament of the conspiracy theorist

Posted on 15 June 2020 by

A group of international public health scientists has recently published a statement in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet about the origins of the Sars-CoV-2 virus, the pathogen responsible for […]

Ethicists, hold your horses (Part 2)

Posted on 1 June 2020 by ,

Fleur Jongepier                                                 Karin Jongsma In Part 1 […]

Ethicists, hold your horses (Part 1)

Posted on 18 May 2020 by ,

    Fleur Jongepier                         Karin Jongsma If intensive care beds or ventilators run out, who should be saved? And […]

Being an Intellectually Dependable Person

Being an Intellectually Dependable Person

Posted on 4 May 2020 by

We are often at the mercy of others when we are trying to figure things out. The same is true when we are seeking to gain deeper understanding or to […]

Following the science: trust, experts, and COVID-19

Following the science: trust, experts, and COVID-19

Posted on 20 April 2020 by

Students of recent social epistemology could be forgiven for thinking that the world’s social and political problems begin and end with the threat of “fake news”. The thought is that […]

Skepticism, Tribalism, and Humble Persistence

Skepticism, Tribalism, and Humble Persistence

Posted on 6 April 2020 by

With many weighty contemporary issues, it is increasingly difficult to know what exactly to believe. This includes issues related to or at the intersection of politics, morality, religion, medicine, and […]

The Right to Know and the Duty to Inform: A Lesson from the Italian Experience with Covid-19

The Right to Know and the Duty to Inform: A Lesson from the Italian Experience with Covid-19

Posted on 23 March 2020 by

Note: When I drafted this post, the situation in Italy and in many countries around the globe was not as tragic as it is today. Some might worry that the […]

“Hath not a Jew eyes?” How Critical Race Theory Sheds Light on Anti-Semitic Discourse

“Hath not a Jew eyes?” How Critical Race Theory Sheds Light on Anti-Semitic Discourse

Posted on 9 March 2020 by

As a person of hybrid Jewish heritage – my paternal grandma is an Ashkenazi Holocaust survivor; my paternal grandfather is Sephardic – I have felt both hesitancy and compulsion in […]

Which crisis of trust?

Which crisis of trust?

Posted on 24 February 2020 by

The UK Labour Party’s leadership contest is well underway after heavy defeat in the 2019 General Election. There is nothing close to consensus within the Party about why things went […]

Political Debate in the Digital Age

Political Debate in the Digital Age

Posted on 10 February 2020 by

In an ideal democratic world, all citizens are invited to debate political necessities and possibilities to the best of their knowledge and to forge their country’s future in this way. […]

Moralism wins, morality loses. Moralism as a vice in the public debate

Moralism wins, morality loses. Moralism as a vice in the public debate

Posted on 27 January 2020 by

Federico Zuolo         Back in the 20th century, it was not uncommon to hear a leftist accusing a conservative of being “moralist”. Indeed, conservatives were attacked for […]

Depending on others for knowledge

Depending on others for knowledge

Posted on 13 January 2020 by

We depend on others. We depend on others when we are sick or when we need help moving into a new house. We also depend on others for knowledge. We […]

Places of formation: Cultivating open-mindedness amongst university students

Places of formation: Cultivating open-mindedness amongst university students

Posted on 30 December 2019 by

Bethan Willis                             Ed Brooks In the ongoing discussions around Brexit our relationship to place, near and far, […]

Is Gay Marriage a Genuinely Progressive Social Transformation?

Is Gay Marriage a Genuinely Progressive Social Transformation?

Posted on 16 December 2019 by

On 22nd May 2015, many referendum voters in the Republic of Ireland made history: 62.07 % of them stated that they were in favour of legalising same-sex marriage. Yep, 62.07 […]

Am I Humble? Are You Humble?

Am I Humble? Are You Humble?

Posted on 2 December 2019 by

 If one were to boil the concept of civil public discourse down into a single idea, it may be this: avoid ad hominems. Ideas should be debated, scrutinized, and questioned, […]

How To Build A Safer Internet

How To Build A Safer Internet

Posted on 18 November 2019 by

Earlier this year, the UK government consulted on an Online Harms White Paper that proposes a new model of social media regulation. The response to the consultation was lukewarm at […]