ABSTRACT
In modern society, each one of us incurs extensive dependence on others to obtain the outputs of skills that they possess and oneself lacks—for epistemic skills, specialist knowledge; for practical skills, material outputs. But we each face choices over time as to which skills to seek to acquire oneself. Fricker considers whether there is a noninstrumental, prudential, normative reason for one to seek to acquire skills. She argues that there is an enjoyment-based case for each person to acquire the skills she would enjoy exercising, because the pleasure of exercising a particular skill is a distinct sui generis one that cannot be obtained except through its exercise. She further argues that each one of us has some reason to ensure one is not skill-less, because possessing some skills is necessary for self-respect, which is necessary for leading a happy life. Finally, she suggests that there are certain abstract skill types that all have some reason to acquire, because they are necessary facilitating conditions for leading a happy life. Among these, she argues, are the skills needed to maintain a cognitive map of one’s environment and the ability to make one’s way around in it. These are closely linked to autonomy, being in control of the progress of one’s life, and hence to a happy human life.
