Gönül EMİRBİLEK1
1Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt Üniversitesi, İnsan ve Toplum Bilimleri Fakültesi, Felsefe Bölümü, Türkiye
gsakar@ybu.edu.tr
Özet
Linda Zagzebski, çağdaş epistemolojide “erdem epistemolojisi” olarak adlandırılan bir yaklaşımın önemli temsilcilerinden biridir. Bu yaklaşımın, ahlak felsefesinde kökleri Aristoteles’e kadar uzanan erdem ahlakı düşüncesinin epistemolojiye uyarlanmış hali olduğunu söylemek mümkündür. İşte Zagzebski, erdem ahlakının bu mantığını epistemolojiye uygulamaya çalışmaktadır. Erdem (virtue) epistemolojisi, bilgide akli erdemlerin işlevine vurgu yapar. Buna göre bilme, bir karakter özelliği halini alırsa bu hasletin sonucu olarak ortaya çıkan ürüne bilgi denilebilir. Ona göre bir bilgiyi daha değerli yapan şey, bilginin gerekçelendirilmiş olması değildir. Çünkü burada doğruluk zorunlu olmayabilir. Bilgi; öznenin bir mizaç veya kişiye özgü özelliğe dönüşmüş akli erdem davranışlarından çıkan bir inançtır.
Zagzebski, geleneksel epistemolojiyi özellikle gerekçelendirme düşüncesini eleştirmektedir. Gettier sorunu üzerine çalışmaların yapıldığı geçtiğimiz otuz yıldan bu yana bile gerekçelendirmenin bilgi ile nasıl ilişkilendirildiği belirsizliğini korumaktadır. Üstelik epistemolojideki içselciler ve dışsalcılar arasındaki tartışma, çözülemez bir kördüğüme dönüşmüştür. Ona göre geleneksel epistemolojinin umutsuz durumunun çaresi, bu disipline yeni bir bakışla yönelmektir: Bunu, gerekçelendirmeye odaklanmaktan vazgeçerek ve erdem ahlakı ile yeni bir işbirliğine girişerek yapabiliriz. Erdem ahlakı, bir alternatiftir.
Buradan hareketle Zagzebski, inancın normatif statülerini epistemik öznenin değer özelliklerine dayanarak açıklamaya girişir. Bu özelliklerin elde edilmesi, erdemli ve erdemli olmayan karakter özellikleri arasında ayrım yapılarak mümkün olur. Zagzebski’ye göre akli bir erdem, “insanoğlunun kazanmış olduğu, hem harekete geçiren bir unsuru hem de bu harekete geçiren unsurun sonucunda ortaya çıkacak güvenilir bir başarıyı içeren derin ve dayanıklı bir üstünlüktür. Aklı erdemlere örnek olarak Zagzebski şunları sıralar: açık zihinlilik (openmindedness), zihinsel hakkaniyet/insaf (intellectual fairness), özerklik, dürüstlük (trustworthiness), yiğitlik (courage), sabır (perseverance) ve incelik (attentiveness). Bu tür erdemlerin ahlaki erdemlerden önemli oranda farkı yoktur. Bu durumların her biri, Zagzebski, bu şekilde kavranılan erdemlere başvurarak epistemik sorunu yazdığı eserler ve ortaya sürdüğü tezlerle çözmeyi çabalar.
Zagzebski bilgi-erdem bağını yeniden kurmaya çalışarak modern epistemolojinin ihmal ettiği ve dışladığı değer alanının bilgiyle ilişkisine dikkat çekerek geniş bir epistemoloji disiplinine çağrı yapmaktadır. Ben de bu çalışmada çağdaş epistemolojide Zagzebski’nin öncülük ettiği
1st International Cappadocia Congress of Philosophy and Social Sciences (CAPASS2019), Nevşehir / TURKEY
erdem epistemolojisinin temel tartışmalarını ele alıp böylelikle Türkiye’de henüz tanınmayan çağdaş bir bilgi felsefecisinin görüşlerini tanıtacağım.
Anahtar Kelimeler: epistemoloji, erdem, erdem epistemolojisi, Linda Zagzebski Kaynaklar
1. Sosa, Ernest, 1980, “The Raft and the Pyramid: Coherence versus Foundations in the Theory of Knowledge”, Midwest Studies in Philosophy, 5: 3–25.
2. –––, 2015, “Virtue epistemology: Character versus competence”, in Alfano 2015: 62– 74.
3. Zagzebski, Linda Trinkaus, 1996, Virtues of the Mind: An Inquiry into the Nature of
Virtue and the Ethical Foundations of Knowledge, Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
4. –––, 1999, “What is Knowledge?” in The Blackwell Guide to Epistemology, John Greco and Ernest Sosa (eds.), Malden, MA: Blackwell.
5. –––, 2001, “Recovering Understanding”, in Steup 2001: 236–252.
6. –––, 2003, “The Search for the Source of Epistemic Good”, Metaphilosophy, 34(1–2): 12–28. doi:10.1111/1467-9973.00257
7. _____, 2001, "Must Knowers Be Agents?" In Virtue Epistemology: Essays on Epistemic Virtue and Responsibility, ed. Abrol Fairweather and Linda Zagzebski, 142- 157. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
8. _____, 2003, "Intellectual Motivation and the Good of Truth." In Intellectual Virtue: Perspectives from Ethics and Epistemology, ed. Michael DePaul and Linda Zagzebski, 135-154. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
9. _____, and Abrol Fairweather. 2001, "Introduction." In Virtue Epistemology: Essays on Epistemic Virtue and Responsibility, ed. Abrol Fairweather and Linda Zagzebski, 3-14. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
10. ____, and Michael DePaul. 2003,"Introduction." In Intellectual Virtue: Perspectives from Ethics and Epistemology, ed. Michael DePaul and Linda Zagzebski, 1-12. Oxford: Clarendon Press,
11. ____, 2003, “The Search for the Source of Epistemic Good”, Metaphilosophy, 34(1– 2): 12–28. doi:10.1111/1467-9973.00257
12. _____, 2009, On Epistemology, Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
13. _____, 1997, “Virtue in Ethics and Epistemology”, American Catholic Philosophical
Quarterly, 71(Supplement): 1–17. doi: 10.5840/acpaproc19977110 978-605-031-746-6
1st International Cappadocia Congress of Philosophy and Social Sciences (CAPASS2019), Nevşehir / TURKEY
14. _____, 2005, “Virtue Epistemology” in the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, New York: Routledge.
15. _____, 1998, "Virtue Epistemology," Encyclopedia of Philosophy, ed. Edward Craig (London: Routledge).
16. _____, 2000, "From Reliabilism to Virtue Epistemology," Axtell (2000).
17. Exemplarist Moral Theory. Oxford University Press. 2017. ISBN 978-0-1906-5584-6. 18. _____, 2012. Epistemic Authority: A Theory of Trust, Authority, and Autonomy in
Belief. Oxford University Press.
19. _____, 20007. Philosophy of Religion: An Historical Introduction. Wiley-Blackwell. 20. _____, 2004. Divine Motivation Theory. Cambridge University Press.
21. _____, 1996. Virtues of the Mind: An Inquiry Into the Nature of Virtue and the Ethical Foundations of Knowledge. Cambridge University Press.
1st International Cappadocia Congress of Philosophy and Social Sciences (CAPASS2019), Nevşehir / TURKEY
The Relationship Between Epistemology and Ethics: A Contemporary Virtue Based Knowledge Approach
Gönül EMİRBİLEK1
1Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, İnsan ve Toplum Bilimleri Fakültesi, Felsefe Bölümü, Türkiye,
gsakar@ybu.edu.tr
Abstract
Linda Zagzebski is one of the important representatives of an approach called virtue epistemology in contemporary epistemology. It is possible to say that this approach is based on the epistemology of the idea of virtue morality that goes back to Aristotle in moral philosophy. Here Zagzebski tries to apply this logic of virtue to epistemology. Virtue epistemology emphasizes the function of intellectual virtues in knowledge. According to this, if knowing becomes a character trait, it can be called knowledge about the product that is produced as a result of this trait. What makes it more valuable is not the fact that knowledge is justified. Because accuracy may not be necessary here. Knowledge; it is a belief that derives from intellectual virtues of human which convert into a character trait or temperament.
Zagzebski criticizes traditional epistemology because of the idea of justifying. It has been unclear how the justification for knowledge over the past three decades. When the work on the Gettier issue has been related, has been linked to knowledge. Moreover, the debate between the internalists and externalists in epistemology has turned into an insoluble impasse. According to him, the cure for the hopeless state of traditional epistemology is to approach this discipline with a new perspective. Virtue morality is an alternative.
From this, Zagzebski attempts to explain the normative status of faith based on the value characteristics of the epistemic subject. Obtaining these features is possible by distinguishing between virtuous and non-virtuous character traits. According to Zagzebski, an intellectual virtue is a profound and durable advantage, including a reliable element that has been won by man, as well as a credible success as a result of this mobilizing element. Zagzebski gives some examples, for the intellectual virtues: openmindedness, intellectual fairness, autonomy, trustworthiness, courage, perseverance and attentiveness. Such virtues do not differ significantly from moral virtues. In each of these situations, Zagzebski tries to solve the epistemic problem by writing on the virtues that are grasped in this way with the works she wrote and the theses she presents.
Zagzebski calls for a broad epistemology discipline by drawing attention to the relationship between the value field that the modern epistemology has neglected and excluded and the relationship between knowledge and value.
I will also discuss the basic problems of the virtue epistemology in this study spearheaded by Zagzebski and so I will introduce a contemporary philosopher’s views on epistemology which is not yet known in Turkey.
1st International Cappadocia Congress of Philosophy and Social Sciences (CAPASS2019), Nevşehir / TURKEY
Keywords: epistemology, virtue, virtue epistemology, Linda Zagzebski References
1. Sosa, Ernest, 1980, “The Raft and the Pyramid: Coherence versus Foundations in the Theory of Knowledge”, Midwest Studies in Philosophy, 5: 3–25.
2. –––, 2015, “Virtue epistemology: Character versus competence”, in Alfano 2015: 62–74. 3. Zagzebski, Linda Trinkaus, 1996, Virtues of the Mind: An Inquiry into the Nature of Virtue
and the Ethical Foundations of Knowledge, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
4. –––, 1999, “What is Knowledge?” in The Blackwell Guide to Epistemology, John Greco and Ernest Sosa (eds.), Malden, MA: Blackwell.
5.–––, 2001, “Recovering Understanding”, in Steup 2001: 236–252.
6.–––, 2003, “The Search for the Source of Epistemic Good”, Metaphilosophy, 34(1–2): 12– 28. doi:10.1111/1467-9973.00257
7. _____, 2001, "Must Knowers Be Agents?" In Virtue Epistemology: Essays on Epistemic Virtue and Responsibility, ed. Abrol Fairweather and Linda Zagzebski, 142-157. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
8. _____, 2003, "Intellectual Motivation and the Good of Truth." In Intellectual Virtue: Perspectives from Ethics and Epistemology, ed. Michael DePaul and Linda Zagzebski, 135- 154. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
9. _____, and Abrol Fairweather. 2001, "Introduction." In Virtue Epistemology: Essays on Epistemic Virtue and Responsibility, ed. Abrol Fairweather and Linda Zagzebski, 3-14. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
10. ____, and Michael DePaul. 2003,"Introduction." In Intellectual Virtue: Perspectives from Ethics and Epistemology, ed. Michael DePaul and Linda Zagzebski, 1-12. Oxford: Clarendon Press,
11. ____, 2003, “The Search for the Source of Epistemic Good”, Metaphilosophy, 34(1–2): 12– 28. doi:10.1111/1467-9973.00257
12. _____, 2009, On Epistemology, Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
13. _____, 1997, “Virtue in Ethics and Epistemology”, American Catholic Philosophical
Quarterly, 71(Supplement): 1–17. doi: 10.5840/acpaproc19977110
14. _____, 2005, “Virtue Epistemology” in the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, New York: Routledge.
1st International Cappadocia Congress of Philosophy and Social Sciences (CAPASS2019), Nevşehir / TURKEY
15. _____, 1998, "Virtue Epistemology," Encyclopedia of Philosophy, ed. Edward Craig (London: Routledge).
16. _____, 2000, "From Reliabilism to Virtue Epistemology," Axtell (2000).
17. Exemplarist Moral Theory. Oxford University Press. 2017. ISBN 978-0-1906-5584-6. 18. _____, 2012. Epistemic Authority: A Theory of Trust, Authority, and Autonomy in Belief. Oxford University Press.
19. _____, 20007. Philosophy of Religion: An Historical Introduction. Wiley-Blackwell. 20. _____, 2004. Divine Motivation Theory. Cambridge University Press.
21. _____, 1996. Virtues of the Mind: An Inquiry Into the Nature of Virtue and the Ethical Foundations of Knowledge. Cambridge University Press.
22. _____, 1991. The Dilemma of Freedom and Foreknowledge. Oxford University Press.
1st International Cappadocia Congress of Philosophy and Social Sciences (CAPASS2019), Nevşehir / TURKEY
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