Moore on Right and Wrong: The Normative Ethics of G.E. Moore

ISBN-13: 9789048144891 / Angielski / Miękka / 2010 / 206 str.

W.H. Shaw

Opis

G.E. Moore's work shaped twentieth century ethics. But while his metaethical doctrines have seen decades of debate, little attention has been paid to his normative theory. Yet Moore broke fresh and important ground in elaborating an indirect, sophisticated, and non-hedonistic form of utilitarianism. Moore on Right and Wrong is a critical reconstruction and exposition of this neglected side of his ethical thought. It situates his normative ethics with respect to traditional utilitarianism and assesses Moore's case for consequentialism. The final chapters explore in detail the implications of Moore's theory for individual moral conduct -- in particular, his denial of self-evident moral rules; his skepticism about knowledge of one's duty; his attempt to establish the validity of certain moral rules; and his account of what moral agents should do in situations where such rules apply and in situations where they do not.

Spis treści

Introduction. 1: `Good' and the Things that Are Good. The Naturalistic Fallacy. Organic Wholes. Against Hedonism. Goods and Evils. The Value of the Virtues. 2: Moore's Commitment to Consequentialism. Three Criticisms of Utilitarianism. A Closer Look at Utilitarianism. Good and Moral Obligation. Principia's Arguments. Moore's Later Account of `Right'. 3: Rebuttals and Refinements. Attitudinal Theories of Ethics. Egoism. Duty and Expediency. Virtue Once More. Motives. 4: Limits to Moral Knowledge. No Self-Evident Moral Rules. Prima Facie Duties. No Action Known to be Our Duty. Overlooked Options. Future Reversals. Consequences, Actual and Probable. Retreating from Skepticism. 5: Moral Rules. Justifying Moral Rules. The Rule against Murder. The Universal Core of Ordinary Morality. Rules Resting on Contingent Circumstances. Rules not Generally Observed. Review and Reformulation. 6: Individual Moral Choice. Part I. Obeying the Rules. No Exceptions. Bad Examples. Three Things Moore Might Have Said. Part II. Beyond Rules. Situations without Valid Rules. Three Principles. Conclusion. Index.