We daily classify actions by their morality and their voluntariness, and beliefs by their rationality. But in light of persistent skepticism about morality, free will, and (to a lesser extent) epistemology, we must ask what justifies us in making these various claims. This book defends a sophisticated version of pragmatism, resting on a novel account of strategy-based (as opposed to act-based) cooperative rationality. It will show that we can give a genuinely pragmatist account of morality and epistemology, while denying that truth is mere usefulness and maintaining the connection between truth and objectivity. The sophisticated pragmatist approach is shown to be particularly fruitful in that we can justify a range of important practices, including our practices of moral and epistemic evaluation, as well as our practice of making judgments regarding free will and moral responsibility.
Acknowledgements
Introduction
PART I: PRAGMATISM AND NORMATIVITY
Pragmatism, Causal Explanation, and Normative Facts
Pragmatism and Rationality
Pragmatism, Relativism, and Normative Discourse
PART II: PRAGMATISM AND MORALITY
Interests and Morality
Pragmatism, Freedom, and Responsibility
PART III: PRAGMATISM AND EPISTEMOLOGY
Pragmatism and Epistemology
Pragmatism, Internalism, and Externalism
Bibliography
Index
JEREMY RANDEL KOONS is Visiting Associate Professor at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar. He has held teaching positions at the American University of Beirut, the University of Hong Kong, and Stonehill College (Massachusetts). He has also published several articles in ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics.
Description
We daily classify actions by their morality and their voluntariness, and beliefs by their rationality. But in light of persistent skepticism about morality, free will, and (to a lesser extent) epistemology, we must ask what justifies us in making these various claims. This book defends a sophisticated version of pragmatism, resting on a novel account of strategy-based (as opposed to act-based) cooperative rationality. It will show that we can give a genuinely pragmatist account of morality and epistemology, while denying that truth is mere usefulness and maintaining the connection between truth and objectivity. The sophisticated pragmatist approach is shown to be particularly fruitful in that we can justify a range of important practices, including our practices of moral and epistemic evaluation, as well as our practice of making judgments regarding free will and moral responsibility.
Contents
Acknowledgements
Introduction
PART I: PRAGMATISM AND NORMATIVITY
Pragmatism, Causal Explanation, and Normative Facts
Pragmatism and Rationality
Pragmatism, Relativism, and Normative Discourse
PART II: PRAGMATISM AND MORALITY
Interests and Morality
Pragmatism, Freedom, and Responsibility
PART III: PRAGMATISM AND EPISTEMOLOGY
Pragmatism and Epistemology
Pragmatism, Internalism, and Externalism
Bibliography
Index
Authors
JEREMY RANDEL KOONS is Visiting Associate Professor at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar. He has held teaching positions at the American University of Beirut, the University of Hong Kong, and Stonehill College (Massachusetts). He has also published several articles in ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics.
|