Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Why Common Sense Will Not Take Us Far When Making a Better World

Erlandsson, Arvid LU (2011) In Educational Studies/ Kyoiku Kenkyu 53. p.59-68
Abstract
In this article it is argued that common sense morality in many cases leads to suboptimal consequences and that human beings in general put too much faith in their moral intuitions. In the first section an explanation of common sense moral is offered. In the second section a working definition of “better world” is presented. In section three, contemporary psychological research concerning human moral thinking is reviewed. In section four the article turns philosophical and discusses possible normative implications of these psychological findings. In section five, some overemphasized areas as well as some neglected areas of common sense morality are presented. In section six, an important distinction between the concepts bad, wrong and... (More)
In this article it is argued that common sense morality in many cases leads to suboptimal consequences and that human beings in general put too much faith in their moral intuitions. In the first section an explanation of common sense moral is offered. In the second section a working definition of “better world” is presented. In section three, contemporary psychological research concerning human moral thinking is reviewed. In section four the article turns philosophical and discusses possible normative implications of these psychological findings. In section five, some overemphasized areas as well as some neglected areas of common sense morality are presented. In section six, an important distinction between the concepts bad, wrong and blameworthy is explained. Finally, some practical suggestions how to improve human moral thinking are offered. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
moral intuitions, Common sense morality, moral psychology, consequentialism
in
Educational Studies/ Kyoiku Kenkyu
volume
53
pages
59 - 68
publisher
International Christian University Publications 1-A
ISSN
0452-3318
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b0bdf37f-8163-4086-9107-1f00a4d19eac (old id 2375025)
alternative location
http://subsite.icu.ac.jp/iers/es/53/erlandsson.pdf
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:56:52
date last changed
2018-11-21 20:31:52
@article{b0bdf37f-8163-4086-9107-1f00a4d19eac,
  abstract     = {{In this article it is argued that common sense morality in many cases leads to suboptimal consequences and that human beings in general put too much faith in their moral intuitions. In the first section an explanation of common sense moral is offered. In the second section a working definition of “better world” is presented. In section three, contemporary psychological research concerning human moral thinking is reviewed. In section four the article turns philosophical and discusses possible normative implications of these psychological findings. In section five, some overemphasized areas as well as some neglected areas of common sense morality are presented. In section six, an important distinction between the concepts bad, wrong and blameworthy is explained. Finally, some practical suggestions how to improve human moral thinking are offered.}},
  author       = {{Erlandsson, Arvid}},
  issn         = {{0452-3318}},
  keywords     = {{moral intuitions; Common sense morality; moral psychology; consequentialism}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{59--68}},
  publisher    = {{International Christian University Publications 1-A}},
  series       = {{Educational Studies/ Kyoiku Kenkyu}},
  title        = {{Why Common Sense Will Not Take Us Far When Making a Better World}},
  url          = {{http://subsite.icu.ac.jp/iers/es/53/erlandsson.pdf}},
  volume       = {{53}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}