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RE: A predisposition to relativism?

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I think the challenge for philosophers regarding this issue is to steer a course between relativism and dogmatism - perhaps this involves providing a conception of objectivity (which seems to be well motivated in certain cases) that is not metaphysical.

I'm sure this has been done/attempted. Perhaps the resources for this strategy in moral philosophy can be found in Wittgenstein - one can read Wittgenstein's later philosophy of maths, and analogously his philosophy of meaning as him attempting to steer a course between anti-Realism (relativism, in a sense) and Realism (dogmatism, in a sense)... Wittgenstein attempts to do this with a conception of objectivity that is not metaphysical and hyper-objective like the Realist (Platonist?) would want - and it doesn't leave us spinning in the void in a world without objectivity like the anti-Realist would want. No doubt I am oversimplifying here...

The key notion in the philosophy of maths and meaning (rule following), is objectivity, in what sense is each area of discourse objective? An answer can be found in Wittgenstein. Perhaps this conception of objective can be transferred to moral discourse. I won't attempt to say what the conception of objectivity is, I'm sure I've already annoyed some Wittgenstein people, and I won't do so any further by pretending that I have a sufficiently intelligible reading beyond what I have already said.

Crispin Wright in Truth and Objectivity aims also for a non-metaphysical conception of truth and objectivity that might serve ones purposes in moral philosophy. 

Then again, one might be happy to stick to their Realist or anti-Realist guns.

Craig


BUPS Philosophy Societies Liaison Officer

www.bups.org
www.bups.org/pages/societies.shtml 

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craig@craigfrench.co.uk
www.craigfrench.co.uk

Heythrop College, University of London
www.heythrop.ac.uk
www.philweb.org


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Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 10:04 PM
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Subject: RE: A predisposition to relativism?

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Dear all,

I find it very surprising that the group were disposed to relativism about 
All moral issues. My intuition is that rape or torture, for example, in 
whatever culture or context, is wrong, will always be wrong etc.

Clearly, I am not a moral relativist! There *are* objective moral truths. If 
an action is wrong, it is wrong regardless of the reason a subject has for 
doing it. Say, for example, i am in a serious fight. Some nutter is trying 
to kill me, when, in self defense, i fight back and kill the nutter. In that 
case my action is wrong. Full stop. Genocide is wrong. If it is part of 
culture x to commit genocide, they are wrong to do so. Why should i be 
afraid to say that? People are too politically correct. Yes we want to avoid 
dogmatisms, but if there are moral truths  (which I believe there are), and 
some person or culture violates them, we should have the courage to condemn 
those actions.


My thoughts on your question are this. The disposition to relativism in your 
group, is probably because of fear of dogmatisms. And yes it IS good to be 
cautious when we are so ignorant of what those truths are.

But wouldn’t you say, a few of them are blindingly obvious. Like the ones I 
mentioned.

Koush

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