Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- File Type
Articles 1 - 3 of 3
Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network
Moral Conviction, Matthew Pianalto
Moral Conviction, Matthew Pianalto
Matthew Pianalto
We often praise people who stand by their convictions in the face of adversity and practice what they preach. However, strong moral convictions can also motivate atrocious acts. Two significant questions here are (1) whether conviction itself — taken as a mode of belief — has any distinctive value, or whether all the value of conviction derives from its substantive content, and (2) how conviction can be made responsible in a way that mitigates the risks of falling into dogmatism, fanaticism, and other vices. In response to the first question, I suggest that conviction has instrumental value that derives from …
Speaking For Oneself: Wittgenstein On Ethics, Matthew Pianalto
Speaking For Oneself: Wittgenstein On Ethics, Matthew Pianalto
Matthew Pianalto
In the “Lecture on ethics”, Wittgenstein declares that ethical statements are essentially nonsense. He later told Friedrich Waismann that it is essential to “speak for oneself” on ethical matters. These comments might be taken to suggest that Wittgenstein shared an emotivist view of ethics—that one can only speak for oneself because there is no truth in ethics, only expressions of opinion (or emotions). I argue that this assimilation of Wittgenstein to emotivist thought is deeply misguided, and rests upon a serious misunderstanding of what is implied by the nonsensicality of ethical claims on Wittgenstein's view. I develop a reading of …
Moral Conviction And Disagreement: Getting Beyone Negative Toleration, Matthew Pianalto
Moral Conviction And Disagreement: Getting Beyone Negative Toleration, Matthew Pianalto
Matthew Pianalto
The sort of toleration we need is tolerant engagement, not just putting up with others.