Digitising reflective equilibrium

Bibliographic Data

ID21703460
AuthorsCharlie Harry Smith (0000-0001-9832-1723, University of Oxford, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume25
Issue3
Publication date2023-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEthics and Information Technology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1388-1957 • E-ISSN: 1572-8439
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s10676-023-09722-w
OpenAlexW4386522647
LanguageEN
References cited24

Reflective equilibrium is overdue a twenty-first century update. Despite its apparent popularity, there is scant evidence that theorists ever thoroughly implement the method, and fewer still openly and transparently publish their attempts to do so in print—stymying its supposed justificatory value. This paper proposes digitising reflective equilibrium as a solution. Inspired by the global open science movement, it advocates for coupling a novel, digital implementation of the equilibrating process with new publication norms that can capitalise on the inherent reproducibility of digital data. The argument is structured around three main claims: that digitising will make it easier to (a) methodically construct, (b) widely disseminate, and (c) thoroughly critique reflective equilibria. Practical guidance is also provided throughout. Altogether, it is argued that digitisation will not only help theorists to better realise reflective equilibrium’s latent theoretical potential, but also greatly extend its value as a justificatory device in contemporary academic discourses

Data science · Dissemination · Epistemology · Political science · Popularity · Publication · Reflective equilibrium · Sociology · Telecommunications · Computer Science · Epistemology, Ethics, and Metaphysics · Ethics and Social Impacts of AI · Law · Philosophy · Philosophy and History of Science

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