Vice and Responsibility

Abstract

This chapter explains and defends the distinction between blame and criticism and makes the case that epistemic vices can merit criticism even if they aren’t blameworthy. We are blameworthy for our epistemic vices only if they are epistemically harmful and we are, in the relevant sense, responsible for them. A distinction is drawn between responsibility for acquiring a vice (‘acquisition responsibility’) and responsibility for having a vice that one can change or revise (‘revision responsibility’). Revision responsibility requires the ability to control or modify the vice in question and there are three different varieties of control: voluntary, evaluative, and managerial. To the extent that we have effective control over our character vices that control is managerial rather than voluntary or evaluative.