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Beyond accuracy: Epistemic flaws with statistical generalizations

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Abstract

jats:titleAbstract</jats:title>jats:pWhat, if anything, is epistemically wrong with beliefs involving accurate statistical generalizations about demographic groups? This paper argues that there is a perfectly general, underappreciated epistemic flaw which affects both ethically charged and uncharged statistical generalizations. Though common to both, this flaw can also explain why demographic statistical generalizations give rise to the concerns they do. To identify this flaw, we need to distinguish between the accuracy and the projectability of statistical beliefs. Statistical beliefs are accompanied by an implicit representation of the statistic's modal profile. Their modal profile determines the circumstances in which they can legitimately be projected to unobserved instances. Errors in that implicit content can be compatible with the accuracy of the “bare” statistic, whilst systematically leading to downstream errors in reasoning, in a manner which reveals an epistemic flaw with an important aspect of the belief state itself.</jats:p>

Description

Keywords

5003 Philosophy, 50 Philosophy and Religious Studies

Journal Title

Philosophical Issues

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1533-6077
1758-2237

Volume Title

29

Publisher

Wiley

Rights

All rights reserved