Epistemic authenticity in liberal education and the value of coming to own one’s beliefs

I propose a notion of teaching for epistemic authenticity which involves providing students with knowledge about a range of choices on how to live a flourishing life and encouraging students to reflect critically on their own belief commitments and external influences on their beliefs. I suggest that this notion of teaching about diverse ways of living broadens moral education acquired at home and is justified under both perfectionist and anti-perfectionist strands of liberalism even in cases when parents disagree with such teaching. I then turn to the notion of indoctrination, and argue that when instruction conducive to epistemic authenticity in schools with liberal tradition is taught through critical discourse, such instruction is not indoctrinating, but rather a means of fostering informed and independent thinking, thereby empowering students to make autonomous decisions about their beliefs.