Episteme

Table of Contents - 01 June 2006 - Volume 3, Issue 1-2  

Research Article

Norms of Epistemic Diversity

Miriam Solomon

ABSTRACT

Epistemic diversity is widely approved of by social epistemologists. This paper asks, more specifically, how much epistemic diversity, and what kinds of epistemic diversity are normatively appropriate? Both laissez-faire and highly directive approaches to epistemic diversity are rejected in favor of the claim that diversity is a blunt epistemic tool. There are typically a number of different options for adequate diversification. The paper focuses on scientific domains, with particular attention to recent theories of smell.

Miriam Solomon is Professor of Philosophy at Temple University. Her research interests are in philosophy of science, philosophy of medicine, epistemology and feminist philosophy. She is the author of Social Empiricism (MIT Press, 2001) and numerous articles in journals and anthologies.