Research

A growing body of empirical data in the social and cognitive sciences indicates that, perhaps not surprisingly, people’s social identity and political ideology significantly bias their thinking and discourse concerning political issues. Researchers have identified a variety of mechanisms responsible for this epistemically pernicious effect, including motivated reasoning, the illusions of introspection, and confirmation bias. In my dissertation, I investigate the threat that these phenomena pose to a flourishing democracy. I argue that it is substantial. Since a flourishing democracy requires working through deep disagreement concerning matters of public interest, my dissertation theorizes with a focus on individual and social practices aimed at ameliorating our susceptibility to engage in such psychological phenomena. Through the lens of virtue epistemology, I urge that we regard these mechanisms or phenomena as intellectual vices, and thus underscore intellectual virtues that diminish their presence in our thinking. By cultivating and embodying the virtues of open-mindedness, humility, and compassion, our political thinking can be habituated to be less biased towards ourselves and more inclusive of diverse interests and perspectives comprising our pluralistic society. How do we develop these virtues in the face of strong tendencies to engage in biased thinking? Surprising as it may sound, I propose that close friendships with individuals politically different from ourselves can serve as an important social context for cultivating an inclusive ethos in political deliberation and the aforementioned virtues. The intimacy and trust characteristic of close friendships provide a secure space where the expression of differences and disagreement is not regarded as threatening, but openly accepted. Aristotle’s and Alexander Nehemas’s most recent work inspire my consideration of friendship in this regard. Given increased attention to polarization in our current political discourse by philosophers, psychologists, and political scientists, I believe this project is both academically and culturally relevant.