I’ve been mostly absent from the blog since a long illness three years ago, but about a year ago I started doing some scholarly writing again. I’m currently working on a book applying Virtue Ethics and Virtue Epistemology to Information Literacy, potentially entitled Virtue Information Literacy. (Catchy, right?). An article introducing the basic concepts has just come out in Library Philosophy and Practice if anyone’s curious about what I’m writing about these days. Constructive criticism welcome.

Scholarly Conversations, Intellectual Virtues, and Virtue Information Literacy

“Abstract

This article develops a concept of Virtue Information Literacy (VIL) modeled on the philosophical subfields of virtue ethics and virtue epistemology. VIL is an ethical, character-based approach analyzing information literacy through intellectual virtues and vices in order to cultivate such virtues with the goal of living a more flourishing life. The article explains the foundation of VIL in virtue ethics and virtue epistemology; analyzes recent work making similar connections between information literacy, virtue epistemology, and intellectual virtues and vices; and finally with the aid of Richard Rorty’s pragmatism and Hans-Georg Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics analyzes some intellectual virtues especially useful for “Scholarship as Conversation,” including open-mindedness, intellectual humility, intellectual courtesy, and intellectual thoroughness.”