Anscombe on Brute Facts and Human Affairs. (July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wiseman, Rachael
• Is Part Of: Royal Institute of Philosophy supplement. Volume 87(2020)
• Page Start: 85
• Page End: 99
• Publication Date: 2020-07
• Subjects: Philosophy -- Periodicals; 100
• DOI: 10.1017/S1358246119000171
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1358-2461

Abstract

Abstract: In 'Modern Moral Philosophy' Anscombe writes: 'It is not profitable at present for us to do moral philosophy. It should be laid aside at any rate until we have an adequate philosophy of psychology, in which we are conspicuously lacking'. In consideration of this Anscombe appeals to the relation of 'brute-relative-to' which holds between facts and descriptions of human affairs. This paper describes the reorientation in philosophy of action that this relation aims to effect and examines the claim that this reorientation makes possible the sort of philosophy of psychology that can provide a starting point for ethics.