For epistemologist Rima Basu, when it comes to what we should believe, morality is not voiceless. What we owe each other is not just a matter of what we do or what we say, but also what we believe.
In “Belief”, Rima’s contribution to our New Basics series, she outlines a critique of the kind of individualist epistemology exemplified by Descartes, arguing that “our connection to the world is not only mediated through the senses, senses that can deceive, but through other people, institutions, and history, all of which can also deceive.” If our world has been shaped by social systems rooted in histories of oppression, then there are risks inherent in taking the evidence of our senses at face value. Rima looks to stereotypes, and racist beliefs in particular, as key examples of this: “Racist beliefs are a paradigm of bad beliefs, yet a racist world will present individuals with significant evidence to support their racist beliefs.” It turns out that responsible belief formation is a risky business, but hopefully this essay can help you navigate its more treacherous terrain!