1 / 15

Meta-ethics

Meta-ethics. Section 4 Internalism, Externalism and Practicality. Internalism. Moral considerations necessarily either motivate one to act in line with moral judgements, or provide reasons for such action. Externalism.

sonnier
Download Presentation

Meta-ethics

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Meta-ethics Section 4 Internalism, Externalism and Practicality

  2. Internalism • Moral considerations necessarily either motivate one to act in line with moral judgements, or provide reasons for such action.

  3. Externalism • (Denies the above.) The relation of moral considerations to motivation or to reasons for action is contingent.

  4. Practicality • The practicality of moral language consists in its capacity to motivate or provide reasons for action.

  5. Internalism & Realism • Internalism is often argued to conflict with realism, since factual language is (often) held to lack the practicality that characterizes moral language.

  6. Agent internalism: moral considerations necessarily motivate agents. Appraiser internalism: holding moral beliefs necessarily motivates those holding these beliefs. Internalism about Motivation

  7. Problems • Internalism about the relation of moral language to motivation is misguided, whether it concerns agents or appraisers. • Unacceptable implications.

  8. Internalism about Reasons for Action • Moral considerations necessarily supply reasons for action to relevant people.

  9. Problems • Internalism about the relation of moral language to reasons for action is misguided where it concerns explanatory reasons.

  10. J.L. Mackie Anti-realist argument: • can be construed as concerning either motivation or reasons for action in the sense of explanatory reasons, but establishes its conclusion in neither of these forms.

  11. Justificatory Reasons for Action • Internalism about the relation of moral language to reasons for action in the sense of justificatory reasons is plausible, but is compatible with realism and doesn’t support Mackie’s conclusion.

  12. Consider… • the difference between reasons for action in the sense of explanatory reasons & in the sense of justificatory reasons.

  13. Moral Commitments • The extent & limits of the necessary commitment of adherents of moral judgements lies in their having to judge relevant cases (including their own) in line with their judgements.

  14. Realism • Can be reconciled with internalism about the relation of moral language to reasons for action in the sense of justificatory reasons. • Can also explain the practicality of such language.

  15. Conclusion • Realism overcomes the challenge from internalism. • In view of the positive case for realism and its replies to other objections it should be accepted.

More Related