This course will survey and critically engage with a range of topics in contemporary virtue epistemology. Virtue epistemology is a popular and flourishing area in contemporary epistemology (roughly: the theory of knowledge) that gives intellectual virtues an important theoretical role.

16x1hr lectures; 4x1hr seminars over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus. This is one of the Honours options in Philosophy and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

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The standard assessments for this course are: 

■ Essay (2000 words) - 40% 

■ Essay (end of course, 3000 words) - 60% 

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available: 

■ There are no alternatives to the essays, but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.  

The course aims to:

■ Provide students with the opportunity to gain a detailed knowledge and understanding of debates in virtue epistemology.

■ Explore the place of intellectual virtues within epistemology.

■ Allow students to develop analytical and critical skills, by considering key arguments and positions, and formulating their own.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

■ State the key characteristics of virtue epistemology as an approach to epistemological theorising.

■ Explain and assess virtue reliabilist and virtue responsibilist paradigms within virtue epistemology.

■ Explain and assess virtue-epistemological approaches to analysing propositional knowledge.

■ Explain and assess virtue responsibilist analyses of the nature and value of openmindedness and intellectual humility.