POLITICAL KNOWLEDGE AND PUBLIC VIRTUES

Denis Coitinho

Submitted September 27, 2022

Published 2022-10-05

Artículos de investigación y ensayos filosóficos

No. 2 (2022): Analítica

POLITICAL KNOWLEDGE AND PUBLIC VIRTUES

Denis Coitinho ⁺⁻

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DOI: ND

Published: 2022-10-05

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Coitinho , D. (2022) “POLITICAL KNOWLEDGE AND PUBLIC VIRTUES”, Analítica, (2), pp. 63–97. Available at: https://revistas.up.ac.pa/index.php/analitica/article/view/3167 (Accessed: 18 August 2024).

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Abstract

The aim of this paper is to reflect upon the scope of political knowledge as a counterpoint to the epistocratic argument defended by Jason Brennan in Against Democracy. To this end, I will begin by presenting Brennan’s conception of knowledge and ignorance, together with his interpretation of the nature of politics. I will then investigate the meaning of knowledge and ignorance from the standpoint of virtue epistemology. Following this, I will analyze the very essence of the political domain and consider the public virtues of prudence and civic friendship. Lastly, I will discuss the phenomenon of moral progress, in order to show that tribalism is neither the essence of human moral nature nor a preclusion of political knowledge and that there is thus no conclusive reason for defending the restriction of public participation in the political process.

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