Buddhist Epistemology and Virtue Epistemology

1. The Coherency, Structure, and Significance of the Paper Session

This panel focuses on Buddhist intellectual virtue. It aims to articulate Buddhist epistemology and virtue epistemology through various Buddhist philosophical lenses, to construct a meaningful dialogue among different Buddhist contexts, and to engage Buddhist epistemology with its contemporary relevance. We will present four papers representing various Buddhist philosophical traditions and methodologies, all contributing to our objectives cohesively.

The first paper delves into the Abhidharma context, examining the Vaibhāṣika account of epistemic well-being. In “A Buddhist Account of Epistemic Wellbeing,” the author will explore the complex mental states of Vaibhāṣika and their role in knowing states, highlighting Buddhist virtues as epistemic and constituting a form of epistemic well-being.

The next paper explores the epistemic ideal in the work of Dignāga, an important pramāṇa theorist. In “How Dignāga’s Epistemic Ideal Transforms the Knower,” the author will describe Buddhist intellectual virtue based on epistemic ideals or high epistemic standards, which have ethically transformative effects on individuals who pursue them.

Another paper will consider the intersection of pramāṇa with tantric ethics. In “The Art of Imagination at the Intersection of Pramāṇa & Samaya: Normative Epistemology & Tantric Ethics in Early Dzogchen,” the author will expand on Buddhist epistemic virtue in the context of tantra in Tibet.

The last paper brings the Buddhist epistemic discussion into dialogue with contemporary reliabilist virtue epistemology and Buddhist moral phenomenology. In “Virtuous Vision: Navigating the Nexus of Virtue Reliabilism and Moral Phenomenology in The Treasury of Valid Knowledge and Reasoning,” the author will engage in discussing traditional Buddhist intellectual virtue in light of its contemporary relevance.

These papers, along with a foreseeably lively Q&A session, will gather key insights into intellectual virtue within various Buddhist philosophical contexts and initiate a conversation with Western epistemology without imposing it upon or colonizing traditional Buddhist theories. This methodological reflexivity is crucial in developing the field of Buddhist philosophy and fostering cross-cultural dialogue with other philosophical frameworks.

2. The Diversity of Presenters in this Panel

It is important to emphasize the diversity among the participants of this panel. First of all, four of the five people on the panel are women involved in the field of Buddhist philosophy! Also, we are at various stages of our academic careers. This panel is a valuable opportunity for female Buddhist philosophers to showcase their perspectives.

Furthermore, this panel includes a mix of senior and junior participants. Alongside the presider, we have two Associate Professors, two Assistant Professors, and one graduate student. This panel intends to provide a platform for academic conversation among experienced and well-known scholars, proficient specialists, and graduate students who are developing their expertise.