Socratic ignorance, intelectual humility and intellectual autonomy

• Autor(a) principal: De Brasi, Leandro
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Boeri, Marcelo D.
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Manuscrito (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.sbu.unicamp.br/ojs/index.php/manuscrito/article/view/8674099
• topic: Stubborn ignorance; Knowledge illusion; Cognitive bias; Division of labor; Intellectual virtue; Ignorancia obstinada; Ilusión de conocimiento; Prejuicios cognitivos; División del trabajo; Virtud intelectual; Ignorância obstinada; Ilusão de conhecimento; Preconceito cognitivo; Divisão do trabalho; Virtude intelectual

A recent stream of epistemology gives special relevance to ignorance within the framework of an epistemological theory. Indeed, some want to give a significant role to ignorance in epistemological theorizing. In this paper, we argue that a particular sort of ignorance, which involves recognition of the fact that one is ignorant, is central to the acquisition of knowledge given the epistemic structure of society. It is clear, we hold, that Socrates realized the relevance of what we call ‘Socratic ignorance’ in the acquisition of knowledge and was aware of the division of epistemic and cognitive labor that we find in our society. We shall explain the way we understand this Socratic ignorance, as opposed to what we will call ‘stubborn ignorance’ and the role this ignorance of Socratic overtones and related character traits can play in the acquisition of knowledge from others and with others.