How to prove that some acts are wrong (without using substantive moral premises)

被引:10
作者
Coons, Christian [1 ]
机构
[1] Bowling Green State Univ, Dept Philosophy, Bowling Green, OH 43403 USA
关键词
Error theory; Moral skepticism; Moral supervenience; Metaethics;
D O I
10.1007/s11098-010-9565-5
中图分类号
B [哲学、宗教];
学科分类号
01 ; 0101 ;
摘要
I first argue that there are many true claims of the form: I broken vertical bar-ing would be morally required, if anything is. I then explain why the following conditional-type is true: If phi-ing would be morally required, if anything is, then anything is actually morally required. These results allow us to construct valid proofs for the existence of some substantive moral facts-proofs that some particular acts really are morally required. Most importantly, none of my argumentation presupposes any substantive moral claim; I use only plausible claims that most moral skeptics and error theorists can and do accept. The final section diagnoses why my arguments work. Here, I offer an explanation for the supervenience of the moral on the non-moral that may help those worried that the strategy is a sophisticated trick. I conclude by considering two objections. In replying to these objections, I explain why the strategy may allow us to demonstrate more than "obvious" moral truths, and why it may also address a stronger version of error theory, according to which, moral truths are not possible.
引用
收藏
页码:83 / 98
页数:16
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