Moral Knowledge by Deduction. (19th April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smithies, Declan
• Is Part Of: Philosophy and phenomenological research. Volume 104:Number 3(2022)
• Page Start: 537
• Page End: 563
• Publication Date: 2021-04-19
• Subjects: Philosophy -- Periodicals; Phenomenology -- Periodicals; 100
• DOI: 10.1111/phpr.12780
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-8205

Abstract

Abstract: How is moral knowledge possible? This paper defends the anti‐Humean thesis that we can acquire moral knowledge by deduction from wholly non‐moral premises. According to Hume's Law, as it has become known, we cannot deduce an 'ought' from an 'is', since it is "altogether inconceivable how this new relation can be a deduction from others, which are entirely different from it" (1739: 3.1.1). This paper explores the prospects for an inferentialist theory of deductive moral knowledge that rejects Hume's Law.