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A Realistic Proposal About the Benefits of Public Philosophy - published on September 30, 2026
On some accounts, public philosophy is set the very ambitious goal of delivering societal benefits. On other accounts, it is met with skepticism due to the belief that it can be at most a form of entertainment or a way to popularize knowledge. In this paper, we make a proposal about what the benefits of public philosophy can realistically be. Although it is hard to prove that engagement with philosophy enhances well-being, creates better citizens, and successfully bridges science and practical concerns, doing philosophy can help individuals practice the intellectual virtues that underpin their epistemic agency, so it is not just a form of entertainment. With such practice, members of the public can better identify implicit assumptions in common ways of thinking, exercise intellectual curiosity and epistemic humility, and engage respectfully but critically with different perspectives. We offer three examples of public philosophy that are conducive to the practice of the skills that support epistemic agency.
