Political Bias(es) and the Question of Blame

Abstract

Accusations and studies of political bias abound, with those accused of bias often considered blameworthy for perpetrating the bias. Against this background, I contend that there are in fact different conceptions of "political bias", each offering a different account of what "bias" is and what it means to be "politically biased". Analyzing these conceptions, I suggest that one common conception of political bias, that of an observed outcome that supposedly deviates from a certain standard, does not allow us to attribute blame to those who perpetrate the bias. In contrast, the conception of political bias as a process, whereby one's political preferences improperly affect one's judgment or behavior, does warrant the attribution of blame to those who perpetrate the bias.