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Toward A Cohesive Account Of Reid’S Scientific And Moral Self-Evident Principles, Kevin Twain Lowery

Faculty Scholarship - Philosophy

This paper examines the nature of Reid’s self-evident principles by determining the properties that he claims for them in general, alluding to specific references to science and mathematics in the process. Next, it explores the uniqueness of moral self-evident principles, identifying any obstacles that might preclude a cohesive account. Finally, an attempt is made to remove these obstacles by providing a more comprehensive interpretation of moral principles, one that will relate them more closely to scientific principles. This will rely on notions that are implicit, rather than explicit, in Reid’s writings.