Problems in Value Theory: An Introduction to Contemporary Debates

Description

roblems in Value Theory takes a pro and con approach to central topics in aesthetics, ethics and political theory. Each chapter begins with a question: What Makes Actions Right or Wrong? Does Morality Depend on God? Do We Need Government? Contemporary philosophers with opposing viewpoints are then paired together to argue their position and raise problems with conflicting standpoints. Alongside an up-to-date introduction to a core philosophical stance, each contributor provides a critical response to their opponent and clear explanation of their view. Discussion questions are included at the end of each chapter to guide further discussion. With chapters ranging from why the government should never wage war to what is art and does morality depend on God, this introduction covers questions lying at the heart of debates about what does and does not have value. Title Page Copyright Page Contents Contributors Acknowledgments Introduction What Philosophy Is All about The Approach of This Series Online Resources The Philosopher’s Toolkit Part 1: Problems in Ethics and Aesthetics Introduction to Part One Ethics Aesthetics The Meaning of Life Notes Chapter 1: Is Morality Relative? Morality Is Relative Meanings: Substantive Morality Meanings: Metaethics Darwinism Implications Notes Morality Is Objective Philosophical Housekeeping Why Morality Is Objective Conclusion Notes Responses Response to Ruse Materialism and Darwinian Morality Explaining Morality Away The Real Price of Ruse’s Relativism Notes Response to Beckwith What Is Meant by “Objective” Morality? Confusing Subjective with Relative Relative or Not? Notes Questions for Reflection Chapter 2: What Makes Actions Right or Wrong? Consequences Make Actions Right Core Consequentialism The Demandingness Objection The Problem of Motives Other Nonconsequentialist Constraints Conclusion Notes Respect for Persons Makes Actions Right The Philosophical Question about Morality Three Theories and PQAM PQAM and Respect-for-Persons Notes Responses Response to Norcross The Problem of Justice Consequentialist Responses to the Justice Problem Structural Problems Notes Response to Linville The Limitations of Moral Intuitions The Inadequacy of the Respect for Persons Principle Notes Questions for Reflection Chapter 3: Does Morality Depend on God? Morality Depends upon Ggod What Is a Divine Command Theory? Has a Divine Command Theory Been Refuted? Skeptical Challenges to Secular Meta ethical Theories Conclusion Notes Morality Does Not Depend on God Preliminary Considerations The Existence of God The Existence of Morality The Independence of Morality The Independence of Morality from God Notes Responses Response to Flannagan Problems for Flannagan’s DCT Have Secular Theories Failed? One More Problem for Flannagan’s DCT Notes Response to Oppy The Vacuity Objection Atheism and Moral Skepticism Necessary Moral Truths Irreducible Moral Properties? Conclusion Notes Questions for Reflection Chapter 4: Is Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder? Beauty Is Relative Hume’s “Relativism” Dewey on Aesthetic Experience Santayana’s Relativism of Response Relativism Is Not Insignificance: Closing Thoughts Notes Beauty Is Objective Assaults on Objectivism Some Historical Background to the Dispute Resolving Aesthetic Disagreements Beauty in Art Conclusion Notes Responses Response to Mock Mock’s (Mis)Appropriation of Margolis Mock’s Inconsistent Appeal to Hume and Dewey Response to Gould Miscellaneous Agreements and Quibbles Kant, Dickie, and Mathematics Conclusion Notes Questions for Reflection Chapter 5: What Is the Meaning of Life? The Meaning of Life Is Found in Ggod The Meaning of “Meaning” Theism and Meaning Atheism and Meaning No God, No Meaning Notes The Meaning of Life Can Be Found without God The Concept of Meaning A Subjectivist Account of Meaning The Objectivist’s Reply Conclusion Notes Responses Response to Ggroothuis Groothuis’s Argument Theism Not Necessary for Meaning Theism Not Sufficient for Meaning Response to Vitrano Vitrano’s Argument Vitrano’s Dilemma Conclusion Notes Questions for Reflection Essay Suggestions For Further Reading Ethics—Moral Relativism, Normative Ethics, Ggod and Ethics Aesthetics The Meaning of Life Part 2: Problems in Political Philosophy Introduction to Part Two The Justification of Government Distributive Justice The Ethics of War Note Chapter 6: Do We Need Government? We Do Not Need Ggovernment Is Government Based on Consent? Moral Problems with Government Hobbes’s Defense of Government Locke’s Defense of Government Nozick’s Defense of Government What about the Poor? Conclusion Notes We Need Some Government A Minimalist Government Is Better than Anarchy A Nonminimalist Government Is Better than Anarchy Government Is Needed, Given that Governments Are Already Widespread Conclusion Notes Responses Response to Long Contra Private Protection Agencies The Nonminimal State and the Problem of Other States Redux Notes Response to Tuckness Locke and Nozick Public Goods and Military Defense Fairness and Equality Burden of Proof Public Deliberation Benefits and/or Inevitability of Monopoly Notes Questions for Reflection Chapter 7: Should Wealth Be Redistributed? Wealth Should Be Redistributed Nozick’s Libertarian Theory Two Systems of Property Which System Is More Just? The Liberal Argument Economic and Social Justice Conclusion Notes Wealth Should Not Be Redistributed The Kind of Redistribution That’s Relevant The Case against Redistribution The Alternative to the Welfare State Notes Responses Response to Mandle Redistribution Is the Issue Liberty Is a Moral Issue Contra Rawlsianism Notes Response to Narveson Not Just One Possible System How Do We Decide? Notes Questions for Reflection Chapter 8: When May the Government Wage War? The Government Should Never Wage War The Morality of Violence The Morality of War Civil Resistance Is Effective Dehorning Dilemmas Conclusion Notes The Government May Sometimes Wage War Clarifying Concepts Two Arguments for Waging War Just Criteria for Waging War Conclusion Notes Responses Response to Alexandra Common Ground Critiquing Arguments Conclusion Response to Cartagena The Paradoxical Institution of War Just Wars? Questions for Reflection Essay Suggestions For Further Reading On Political Philosophy Ggenerally On Distributive Justice The Ethics of War Index