Topic
Morality is a set of norms that transcend any particular society and that bind you regardless of your desires and dispositions. Morality tells you to keep your promises, not coerce others, respect others’ human rights, and so on. But what explains the authority of morality? According to a venerable tradition in philosophy, stretching from Plato and Aristotle through Kant, the authority of morality depends on the authority of reason. Rationalism, in other words, tells us that moral norms are rational norms . But many philosophers are skeptical of rationalism and argue that if the authority of morality is to be explained at all, it cannot be explained by reason. The topic of this workshop, then, is the purported connection between practical reason and morality.
Format
The workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom. All are welcome to join the workshop. But to get the link, please submit a registration form -- just below this box. Once registered, I'll email you the link on March 11. This is not a pre-read workshop. Instead, speakers will present for 40 minutes followed by 40 minutes of Q&A. Any questions? Email me! (link to my email on top right of this page)
Program (All times EST)
March 12.
1-10pm. Welcome remarks. Ariel Zylberman
1.10-1.50pm. Hille Paakkunainen (Syracuse) 'A Naturalism about Virtue'
1.50-230pm. Q&A. Chair: Kristen Hessler.
2.30-2.40pm Break
2.40-3.20pm Michael Smith (Princeton) 'Rationalism vs Anti-Rationlism, Morality vs Ethics'
3.20-4.00pm. Q&A. Chair: Rachel Cohon
March 13
9-940am. David Owens (King's) 'Reason, Virtue, and Agency'
9.40-1020am Q&A. Chair: Toan Tran.
10.20-10.30am Break
10.30-11.10 am Tamar Schapiro (MIT) 'What makes Weak-Willed Action Weak?'
11.10-11.50am Q&A. Chair: Jon Mandle
Topic
Morality is a set of norms that transcend any particular society and that bind you regardless of your desires and dispositions. Morality tells you to keep your promises, not coerce others, respect others’ human rights, and so on. But what explains the authority of morality? According to a venerable tradition in philosophy, stretching from Plato and Aristotle through Kant, the authority of morality depends on the authority of reason. Rationalism, in other words, tells us that moral norms are rational norms . But many philosophers are skeptical of rationalism and argue that if the authority of morality is to be explained at all, it cannot be explained by reason. The topic of this workshop, then, is the purported connection between practical reason and morality.
Format
The workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom. All are welcome to join the workshop. But to get the link, please submit a registration form -- just below this box. Once registered, I'll email you the link on March 11. This is not a pre-read workshop. Instead, speakers will present for 40 minutes followed by 40 minutes of Q&A. Any questions? Email me! (link to my email on top right of this page)
Program (All times EST)
March 12.
1-10pm. Welcome remarks. Ariel Zylberman
1.10-1.50pm. Hille Paakkunainen (Syracuse) 'A Naturalism about Virtue'
1.50-230pm. Q&A. Chair: Kristen Hessler.
2.30-2.40pm Break
2.40-3.20pm Michael Smith (Princeton) 'Rationalism vs Anti-Rationlism, Morality vs Ethics'
3.20-4.00pm. Q&A. Chair: Rachel Cohon
March 13
9-940am. David Owens (King's) 'Reason, Virtue, and Agency'
9.40-1020am Q&A. Chair: Toan Tran.
10.20-10.30am Break
10.30-11.10 am Tamar Schapiro (MIT) 'What makes Weak-Willed Action Weak?'
11.10-11.50am Q&A. Chair: Jon Mandle
