Science Journalism and Epistemic Virtues in Science Communication: A Defense of Sincerity, Transparency, and Honesty

Abstract

Abstract In recent works, Stephen John (2018, Social Epistemology32(2), 75–87; 2019, Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A78, 64–72) has deepened the social epistemological perspective on expert testimony by arguing that science communication often operates at the institutional level, and that at that level sincerity, transparency, and honesty are not necessarily epistemic virtues. In this paper I consider his arguments in the context of science journalism, a key constituent of the science communication ecosystem. I argue that this context reveals both the weakness of his arguments and a need for further analysis of how non-experts learn from experts.