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  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
The Ethics and Epistemology of Vaccine Hesitancy

The Ethics and Epistemology of Vaccine Hesitancy

Bernecker, Sven
Sorell, Tom

Hardcover

Series: Routledge Research in Applied Ethics

PhilosophyMedical Reference

PREORDER - Expected ship date September 2, 2026

ISBN10: 1041063636
ISBN13: 9781041063636
Publisher: Routledge
Published: Sep 2 2026
Pages: 304
Language: English

Philosophers have long discussed the ethical and epistemological issues raised by vaccines, but these issues have assumed new significance since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This volume focuses on vaccine hesitancy as a case of deep overlap of ethics and epistemology.

Vaccine hesitancy stems from a range of concerns, many of which are fueled by misunderstandings about vaccine technology, conspiracy theories, or misconceptions about scientific research. While some grounds for vaccine hesitancy are clearly irrational, other concerns appear more reasonable. This is the first volume to offer a comprehensive exploration of the interplay of epistemological and ethical dimensions of vaccine hesitancy from a post-COVID perspective. The chapters in the first part of the volume reflect on the epistemology of vaccine hesitancy. They address issues related to trust and expertise, probability literacy, and epistemic justice. The second part covers the ethics of vaccine hesitancy and the implications for public policy. These chapters explore the moral implications of free riding, as well as the complex interplay between individual rights, public health, and the collective good. Together, they help us to consider where the line between personal freedom and civic responsibility should be drawn.

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