Evolutionary Debunking Arguments.
Evolutionary debunking arguments (EDAs) are arguments that appeal to the evolutionary origins of evaluative beliefs to undermine their justification. This paper aims to clarify the premises and presuppositions of EDAs-a form of argument that is increasingly put to use in normative ethics. I argue th...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2011
|
| _version_ | 1797104374786293760 |
|---|---|
| author | Kahane, G |
| author_facet | Kahane, G |
| author_sort | Kahane, G |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Evolutionary debunking arguments (EDAs) are arguments that appeal to the evolutionary origins of evaluative beliefs to undermine their justification. This paper aims to clarify the premises and presuppositions of EDAs-a form of argument that is increasingly put to use in normative ethics. I argue that such arguments face serious obstacles. It is often overlooked, for example, that they presuppose the truth of metaethical objectivism. More importantly, even if objectivism is assumed, the use of EDAs in normative ethics is incompatible with a parallel and more sweeping global evolutionary debunking argument that has been discussed in recent metaethics. After examining several ways of responding to this global debunking argument, I end by arguing that even if we could resist it, this would still not rehabilitate the current targeted use of EDAs in normative ethics given that, if EDAs work at all, they will in any case lead to a truly radical revision of our evaluative outlook. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T06:32:56Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:f6a510ba-2d47-4956-80cf-70e7069dd87a |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T06:32:56Z |
| publishDate | 2011 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:f6a510ba-2d47-4956-80cf-70e7069dd87a2022-03-27T12:36:33ZEvolutionary Debunking Arguments.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:f6a510ba-2d47-4956-80cf-70e7069dd87aEnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordWiley2011Kahane, GEvolutionary debunking arguments (EDAs) are arguments that appeal to the evolutionary origins of evaluative beliefs to undermine their justification. This paper aims to clarify the premises and presuppositions of EDAs-a form of argument that is increasingly put to use in normative ethics. I argue that such arguments face serious obstacles. It is often overlooked, for example, that they presuppose the truth of metaethical objectivism. More importantly, even if objectivism is assumed, the use of EDAs in normative ethics is incompatible with a parallel and more sweeping global evolutionary debunking argument that has been discussed in recent metaethics. After examining several ways of responding to this global debunking argument, I end by arguing that even if we could resist it, this would still not rehabilitate the current targeted use of EDAs in normative ethics given that, if EDAs work at all, they will in any case lead to a truly radical revision of our evaluative outlook. |
| spellingShingle | Kahane, G Evolutionary Debunking Arguments. |
| title | Evolutionary Debunking Arguments. |
| title_full | Evolutionary Debunking Arguments. |
| title_fullStr | Evolutionary Debunking Arguments. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evolutionary Debunking Arguments. |
| title_short | Evolutionary Debunking Arguments. |
| title_sort | evolutionary debunking arguments |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kahaneg evolutionarydebunkingarguments |