Speaker: Roy Sorensen (UT Austin & St Andrews)

Modesty is a Contagious Blindspot

I am modest about my spelling accuracy. Oops, I cannot consistently believe that! Modesty about my spelling entails I underestimate my spelling. If I indeed underestimate my spelling accuracy, then my ignorance about spelling accuracy is contagious. For if I believe you and I are equals at spelling, then my modesty commits me to underestimating your spelling. Morally, you may rightly resent my underestimate! You may also suffer intellectually. In addition to my ignorance of my merit spreading to my ignorance of your merit, my ignorance can make you ignorant. For if you and I are epistemic peers, then the limits of my knowledge become the limits of your knowledge. After all, how do you know that I am modest rather than accurate? In general, any modesty I possess robs my peers. Modesty is a vice rather than a virtue!