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Conceptions of Epistemic Value

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2021

Timothy Perrine Open the ORCID record for Timothy Perrine [Opens in a new window]
Timothy Perrine*
Affiliation:
Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
*
Email: timperrine@gmail.com
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Abstract

This paper defends a conception of epistemic value that I call the “Simpliciter Conception.” On it, epistemic value is a kind of value simpliciter and being of epistemic value implies being of value simpliciter. I defend this conception by criticizing two others, what I call the Formal Conception and the Hybrid Conception. While those conceptions may be popular among epistemologists, I argue that they fail to explain why anyone should care that things are of epistemic value and naturally undercuts disputes about what is of epistemic value. I end by sketching and locating my conception within some increasingly popular views in meta-normativity.

Keywords

Epistemic valuefinal valueFormal ConceptionHybrid ConceptionSimpliciter Conception
Type
Article
Information
Episteme , Volume 20 , Issue 2 , June 2023 , pp. 213 - 231
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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