Does Moral Discourse Require Robust Truth?
Does Moral Discourse Require Robust Truth?
Author(s): Fritz J. McDonaldSubject(s): Philosophy
Published by: Presa Universitara Clujeana
Keywords: Deflationism; Truth; Realism; Antirealism; Metaethics; Expressivism
Summary/Abstract: It has been argued by several philosophers that a deflationary conception of truth, unlike more robust conceptions of truth, cannot properly account for the nature of moral discourse. This is due to what I will call the “quick route problem”: There is a quick route from any deflationary theory of truth and certain obvious features of moral practice to the attribution of truth to moral utterances. The standard responses to the quick route problem are either to urge accepting a conception of truth more robust than deflationism (Boghossian 1990), or to revise deflationary accounts in order to block straightforward attribution of truth to moral utterances (Field 1994). I contend that neither of these standard responses is well-motivated, for it is a merit of deflationary accounts rather than a defect that such accounts present a quick route to moral truth.
Journal: Logos Architekton. Journal of Logic and Philosophy of Science
- Issue Year: 3/2009
- Issue No: 01
- Page Range: 271-290
- Page Count: 20
- Language: English