Vanity, Narcissism, Timidity, and Fatalism

Abstract

This chapter provides account of four character traits in the intellectual domain: vanity and narcissism; timidity and self-fatalism. It argues that vanity and narcissism are vices of superiority while timidity and self-fatalism are vices of inferiority. They are characterized as opposed to acceptance of limitations and proper concern to be esteemed by others. Vanity is typical of those who show an excessive concern for being held in high esteem by other people. Timidity is instead exemplified by those whose fear to be exposed as intellectually inadequate is so extreme that they shun being noticed by other epistemic agents. Consequently, they exhibit insufficient concern for being held in esteem by their epistemic community. Narcissism is related to intellectual vanity. It involves a failure to accept one’s intellectual limitations due to an infatuation with one’s own intellectual abilities. Fatalism is a strengthening of timidity that consists in a disposition to resign oneself to the alleged intractability of one’s own intellectual limitations. The chapter also defends the view that vanity and narcissism are based on attitudes whose function is social-adjustive, while timidity and self-fatalism have attitudes serving an ego-defensive function as their causal bases.