The Deliverances of Standpoint: A Defense of the Epistemic Advantage Thesis

Recent work in the standpoint epistemology literature has featured arguments that non-dominant group members *cannot* have a unique epistemic advantage that dominant group individuals cannot similarly possess. Against these views, this talk presents an argument that non-dominant group members who achieve a standpoint can have **a unique epistemic advantage** that dominant group members cannot similarly obtain. This argument is based on two premises. The first premise is that if a non-dominant group member achieves a standpoint, then this individual has developed a particular epistemic skill which yields them a unique epistemic advantage. The second premise is that if a non-dominant group member achieves a standpoint, then she will be more likely to avoid believing certain falsehoods than individuals who have not achieved this standpoint.

Eric Bayruns García

https://experts.mcmaster.ca/people/bayrunse

Assistant Professor

Department of Philosophy

McMaster University

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