A modal theory of discrimination

Bibliographic Data

ID10813541
AuthorsGuido Melchior (0000-0001-6494-560X, University of Graz, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume198
Issue11
Pages10661-10684
Publication date2021-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSynthese (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0039-7857 • E-ISSN: 1573-0964
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s11229-020-02747-4
PMID34720218
OpenAlexW3037230438
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited35

Discrimination is a central epistemic capacity but typically, theories of discrimination only use discrimination as a vehicle for analyzing knowledge. This paper aims at developing a self-contained theory of discrimination. Internalist theories of discrimination fail since there is no compelling correlation between discriminatory capacities and experiences. Moreover, statistical reliabilist theories are also flawed. Only a modal theory of discrimination is promising. Versions of sensitivity and adherence that take particular alternatives into account provide necessary and sufficient conditions on discrimination. Safety in contrast is not sufficient for discrimination as there are cases of safety that are clearly instances of discrimination failure. The developed account of discrimination between objects will be extended to discrimination between kinds and between types

Cognitive psychology · Contrast (vision) · Epistemology · Internalism and externalism · Metaphysics · Modal · Philosophy of language · Philosophy of science · Statistical discrimination · Statistics · Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science · Epistemology, Ethics, and Metaphysics · Feminist Epistemology and Gender Studies · Mathematics · Philosophy · Political Philosophy and Ethics · Psychology · Social Psychology

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access