Local Evolutionary Debunking Arguments. (29th April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rowland, Richard
• Is Part Of: Philosophical perspectives. Volume 33(2019)
• Page Start: 170
• Page End: 199
• Publication Date: 2020-04-29
• Subjects: Philosophy -- Periodicals; 100
• DOI: 10.1111/phpe.12130
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1520-8583

Abstract

Abstract: Evolutionary debunking arguments in ethics aim to use facts about the evolutionary causes of ethical beliefs to undermine their justification. Global Evolutionary Debunking Arguments (GDAs) are arguments made in metaethics that aim to undermine the justification of all ethical beliefs. Local Evolutionary Debunking Arguments (LDAs) are arguments made in first‐order normative ethics that aim to undermine the justification of only some of our ethical beliefs. Guy Kahane, Regina Rini, Folke Tersman, and Katia Vavova argue for skepticism about the possibility of LDAs. They argue that LDAs cannot be successful because they over‐extend in a way that makes them self‐undermining and yield a form of moral skepticism. In this paper I argue that this skepticism about the possibility of LDAs is misplaced.