Stefaniia Sidorova

This article presents a historical-philosophical study of the formation of social epistemology as a distinct field. The author identifies two stages in its development: the initial conceptualization in 1950s library science (the project of Margaret Egan and Jesse Shera) and its reinvention in 1980s Anglophone philosophical discourse (the analytical project of Alvin Goldman, the critical project of Steve Fuller, and the collective project of Margaret Gilbert). Particular attention is given to the methodology of historico-philosophical analysis within social epistemology, and a novel anthropo-epistemological approach is proposed for constructing a chimerical genealogy. The author argues that social epistemology is not a homogeneous discipline but rather a spectrum of research projects. This study outlines the initial stage of social epistemology’s institutionalization and lays the groundwork for a critical historiography of the field.

Numerous Ukrainian and Eastern European scholars, philosophers, activists, and cultural figures have criticized the contemporary Western academic community for its systematic silencing of Ukrainian voices and promotion of pro-Russian narratives. This article examines the phenomenon of epistemic oppression of Ukrainian voices in contemporary Western academic discourse. It reviews a range of socio-epistemological concepts designed to shed light on this issue, such as “westsplaining”, “epistemic imperialism”, “double colonial optics”, “international imperialist solidarity”, and others. The author argues that philosophical reflection on the problem of epistemic oppression of Ukrainian researchers in Western academia requires drawing upon the works of social epistemologies (particularly anti-, post- and decolonial, and feminist), academic and non-academic strategies of knowing, philosophical and non-philosophical disciplines, and past and present Ukrainian theorizations. Employing the works of social epistemologists such as Han Edgoose, Miranda Fricker, Kristie Dotson, and others, the author proposes the concept of “epistemic sabotage” to analyze experiences of deliberate epistemic oppression. To further develop previously proposed approaches, the author incorporates the intellectual context in which Ukrainian philosophical thought developed in the 20th century. She uses Yuriy Shevelov’s testimony about the formation of Slavic studies in the USA during 1950–1970s as a paradigmatic example of epistemic sabotage. The developed approach aims to demonstrate both systemic and individual dimensions of epistemic oppression.

Virtue epistemology is one of the most popular approaches to epistemological research in Anglophone philosophy. However, it is little known in Ukraine. The article aims to familiarize its readers with the making of virtue epistemology, presenting parallels with virtue ethics. The au- thor makes an attempt to determine the place that virtue epistemology holds in modern philo- sophical discourse. The article provides a brief overview of the main research topics, the biggest controversies within the field, and the systematisation of classification types within the field. The author considers responsibilist and reliabilist approaches to the definition of intellectual virtue. Furthermore, she demonstrates the importance of the Gettier problem for the formation and development of virtue epistemology theories. The article serves as a preliminary sketch of the current state of the Anglophone epistemo- logical discussion presenting research in the field of virtue epistemology from its appearance to the present day. The overview nature of the article is used to test proposed translations of modern epistemological terminology in Ukrainian. The primary goal of the article is to introduce virtue epistemology to the Ukrainian philosophical discourse.