80-731 Meta-ethics

12 units, Carnegie Mellon University

First we will survey of proposals for necessary and sufficient conditions for x is a morally permissible act. Then we will consider T.S. Scanlons claim that metaethics is immune from criticism from other subjects. We will then consider moral voting rulesvarieties of consequentialism and Scanlons winner take all method of reasons. We will take up arguments that there are, or are not moral facts, and moral particularismthe doctrine that while there are moral facts, there are no informative true moral generalizations. Finally, we will consider biological accounts of the sources of morality and agency by Binmore, Kitcher, Churchland and others, and there force, if any, against the very idea of normative ethics.

Prerequisites: none listed

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