Perceptualism and the epistemology of normative reasons

Autor: Jean Moritz Müller
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Zdroj: Synthese. 199:3557-3586
ISSN: 1573-0964
0039-7857
DOI: 10.1007/s11229-020-02947-y
Popis: According to much recent work in metaethics, we have a perceptual access to normative properties and relations. On a common approach, this access has apresentationalcharacter. Here, ‘presentational’ specifies a characteristic feature of the way aspects of the environment are apprehended in sensory experience. While many authors have argued that we enjoy presentations of value properties, thus far comparatively less effort has been invested into developing a presentational view of the apprehension of normative reasons. Since it appears that this view would offer much the same theoretical benefits as presentational views of the apprehension of value, it seems worthwhile redressing this imbalance. My paper aims at doing so, focusing on concern-dependent practical reasons. After clarifying the central commitment of this view, I assess a recent proposal by Dancy (Ethics 124(4):787-812, 2014) which provides a detailed characterization of the relevant type of cognition. I argue that Dancy ignores one of the central features of a presentational access to normative reasons and therefore misidentifies which actual psychological phenomena are apt to play this role. In this context, I also assess and reject further candidates that might seem fitting for this purpose. In the remainder of the paper, I then offer a more adequate account which specifies an actual form of presentational access to concern-dependent practical reasons and provide the contours of a more substantive account of its nature.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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