This article starts by defining instrumentalized knowledge (IK) as the practice of selectively valuing some set of reliable beliefs for the promotion of a more generally false or unreliable worldview. IK is typically exploited by conspiratorial echo chambers, which display systematic distrust and opposition towards mainstream epistemic authorities. We argue that IK is problematic in that it violates core epistemic virtues, and this gives rise to clear and present harms when abused by said echo chambers. Yet, we contend, mainstream epistemic (...) authorities (MEAs) are also complicit in practices resembling IK; we refer to these practices as instrumentalized knowledge* (IK*). IK* differs from IK in that the selective valuing of beliefs corresponds to a ”reliable” worldview, namely, one independently verified by the relevant epistemic experts. We argue that IK*, despite its apparent veracity, is also problematic, as it violates the same epistemic virtues as IK despite its aim of promoting true beliefs. This, we argue, leads it to being counterproductive in its goal of producing knowledge for the sake of the pursuit of truth, thereby raising the question of what distinguishes virtuous from nonvirtuous practices of instrumentalized knowledge. In an attempt to avoid this violation and to distinguish IK* from IK, we investigate whether and how IK* could still be epistemically virtuous. We conclude that IK* can be virtuous if its goal is to produce understanding as opposed to mere knowledge. (shrink)

Inhalt: Laudatio auf Wolfgang JankeVorwortManfred BAUM: Subjekt und Person bei Kant Edith DÜSING: Der Begriff der Angst bei Kierkegaard und Heidegger Margot FLEISCHER: Das ursprüngliche Verhältnis zum Anderen bei Sartre und die unverzichtbare Gegenposition Fichtes Klaus Hammacher: Biographie als Problemgeschichte Marion Heinz: Schönheit als Bedingung der Menschheit: Ästhetik und Anthropologie in Schillers ästhetischen Briefen Klaus Held: Die elementare Funktion des Empfindens. Eine phänomenologische Interpretation von Kants zweitem mathematischen Grundsatz Jochem Hennigfeld: Kunst und Reflexion. Kriterien einer philosophischen Ästhetik Walter HIRSCH: Der (...) Begriff der Transzendenz in der Neuzeit Wolfgang JANKE: Restitution der metaphysischen und transzendentalen Deduktion Hartmut PÄTZOLD: Die Mentalität der ›erschöpften‹ Moderne im Lichte der Geschichtsphilosophie Fichtes Wolfgang H. SCHRADER: Gewissen und RealitätGeorg SIEGMANN: Platonische Liebe. (shrink)