Michael Cholbi: Grief: A Philosophical Guide
(Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice)
Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice - November 12, 2022 Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research
George Sher: A Wild West of the Mind
(Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice)
Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice - November 12, 2022 Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research
Law as Counterspeech
AbstractA growing body of work in free speech theory is interested in the nature of counterspeech, i.e. speech that aims to counteract the effects of harmful speech. Counterspeech is usually defined in opposition to legal responses to harmful speech, which try to prevent such speech from occurring in the first place. In this paper we challenge this way of carving up the conceptual terrain. Instead, we argue that our main classificatory division, in theorising responses to harmful speech, should be between pro-discursive and anti-discursive responses. Some legal responses to harmful speech, so we argue, make a positive disc...
Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice - November 9, 2022 Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research
Towards a Kantian Argument for a Universal Basic Income
AbstractThe paper defends that it is possible to offer a Kantian argument for justifying the introduction of Universal Basic Income (UBI). It first briefly presents Philippe van Parijs ’ argument for UBI based on the concept of real freedom for all. In doing so, it will focus on its general structure and central insight, without entering too much into other issues like the economic feasibility of UBI. It second briefly presents Kant’s concept of external freedom and especially focuses on some of its components to assess whether there is some closeness to van Parijs’ concept of real freedom. It further considers wheth...
Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice - November 9, 2022 Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research
The Division of Normativity and a Defence of Demanding Moral Theories
AbstractMorality, according to some theories, demands a lot of us. One way to defend such demanding moral theories is through an appeal to the division of normativity; on this picture, morality is only one of the normative domains that guides us, so it should be expected that we often fail to follow that guidance. This paper defends the division of normativity as a response to demandingness objections against an alternative: moral rationalism. It does this by addressing and refuting three arguments: the argument from blameworthiness, the argument from agency, and the argument from authority. In turn, I show that none of th...
Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice - November 8, 2022 Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research
Why Limitarianism Fails on its Own Premises – an Egalitarian Critique
This article is a critical analysis of Ingrid Robeyns ’ “economic limitarianism” (2017, 2019, 2022), the suggestion that there is a moral case against allowing people to be richer than they need to be in order to achieve full flourishing. Wealth above a certain “riches line” lacks value and should be capped at that level. Robeyns claims that limitarianism is justified as a partial theory of economic justice, since vast wealth is a threat to political equality and the revenue raised from taxing wealth can be used to meet urgent needs. She also claims that limitarianism is problem-driven philosophy and should be ju...
Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice - November 4, 2022 Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research
Institutional Integrity: Its Meaning and Value
AbstractPeople can have or lack ‘integrity’. But can public institutions?It is common to speak of the ‘integrity’ of such institutions: in popular discourse, legal decisions, law and regulations, and also increasingly, political theory, and proximate disciplines. Such integrity is often said to be at risk of being ‘subverted,’ ‘corroded,’ and ‘corrupted,’ by both forces within and wi thout. Furthermore, the implication is that this is a very worrying thing. The integrity ofour institutions, at least, needs to be preserved, supported, and defended; against money, politics, power, and populists.However, d...
Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice - November 2, 2022 Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research
Virtuous Arguing With Conviction and Humility
AbstractCan one enter into an argument with one ’s intellectual equals in good faith if one regards the matter in hand as already settled? Adopting such an attitude looks very much like taking a dogmatic stance, in that one is closing one’s mind to counterarguments in advance. Dogmatism is, of course, an intellectual vice. Moreover, such dogm atism seems morally problematic, in that one is failing to treat one’s adversary with due respect. While there is clearly something correct about this line of thinking—dogmatism, like all intellectual vice, is obviously to be avoided—it is also maintained that, properly unde...
Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice - November 2, 2022 Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research
Corporate Counterspeech
AbstractAre corporations ever morally obligated to engage in counterspeech —that is, in speech that aims to counter hate speech and misinformation? While existing arguments in moral and political philosophy show that individuals and states have such obligations, it is an open question whether those arguments apply to corporations as well. In this essay, I show how two su ch arguments—one based on avoiding complicity, and one based on duties of rescue—can plausibly be extended to corporations. I also respond to several objections to corporate counterspeech. (Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice)
Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice - November 2, 2022 Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research
Bending as Counterspeech
AbstractIn this paper, we identify and examine an overlooked strategy to counter bigoted speech on the spot. Such a strategy we call ‘bending’. To ‘bend’, in our sense, is to deliberately give a distorted response to a speaker’s harmful move – precisely, anameliorative response, which may turn that move into a different, less harmful, contribution. To substantiate our proposal, we distinguish two ideas of uptake – interpretation and response – and argue for the general claim that a distorted response on the hearer’s part may end up transforming a speaker’s contribution. Patterns of distortion have been ...
Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice - November 2, 2022 Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research
Pleasure is Goodness; Morality is Universal
AbstractThis paper presents the Universality Argument that pleasure is goodness. It proceeds from a moral sense theory that analyzes moral concepts as concerned with what all should hope for, feel guilty about, and admire. This requires rejecting the view that moral judgment concerns empirically inaccessible norms governing action. The first premise defines goodness as what should please all. The second premise reducesshould to perceptual accuracy. The third premise invokes a standard of universal accuracy: qualitative identity. Since the pleasure of all is accurate solely about pleasure, pleasure is goodness, or universal...
Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice - November 2, 2022 Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research
Awe ’s Place in Ethics
AbstractAfter a period of relative neglect, awe has been the focus of substantial empirical work in psychology and has also begun to receive some philosophical attention. Thus far, though, little attention has been devoted to a line of reasoning present in the literature on environmental ethics that moves frombeing awe-inspiring tobeing worthy of preservation. I argue here that this neglect ought to be remedied, as this argument potentially has a significant role to play in various ethical contexts involving non-persons. I also identify key questions that would need to be addressed in delivering an all-things-considered ve...
Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice - October 29, 2022 Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research
Envy, Levelling-Down, and Harrison Bergeron: Defending Limitarianism Against Three Common Objections
AbstractThis paper discusses limitarianism in light of three popular objections to the redistribution of extreme wealth: (i) that such redistribution legitimizes envy, which is a morally objectionable attitude; (ii) that it disincentivizes the wealthy to invest and work, leading to a diminished social product, and, thereby, making everyone worse-off; and (iii) that it undercuts the pursuit and achievement of human excellence by depriving successful people of resources through which they may otherwise excel. We argue that these objections fail to undermine limitarianism. An elaborated defence against them, rather, reveals h...
Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice - October 28, 2022 Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research
Envy, Levelling-Down, and Harrison Bergeron Defending Limitarianism from Three Common Objections
AbstractThis paper discusses limitarianism in light of three popular objections to the redistribution of extreme wealth: (i) that such redistribution legitimizes envy, which is a morally objectionable attitude; (ii) that it disincentivizes the wealthy to invest and work, leading to a diminished social product, and, thereby, making everyone worse-off; and (iii) that it undercuts the pursuit and achievement of human excellence by depriving successful people of resources through which they may otherwise excel. We argue that these objections fail to undermine limitarianism. An elaborated defence against them, rather, reveals h...
Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice - October 28, 2022 Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research
Hateful Counterspeech
AbstractFaced with hate speech, oppressed groups can use their own speech to respond to their verbal oppressors. This “counterspeech,” however, sometimes itself takes on a hateful form. This paper explores the moral standing of such “hateful counterspeech.” Is there a fundamental moral asymmetry between hateful counterspeech, and the hateful utterances of dominant or oppressive groups? Or are claims that su ch an asymmetry exists indefensible? I argue for an intermediate position. Thereis a key moral asymmetry between these two forms of speech. But, this asymmetry notwithstanding, hateful counterspeech is capable o...
Source: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice - October 27, 2022 Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research
